Among all aircraft components, the propeller is considered the most crucial part. It ensures flight safety but is also a highly stressed part. Do you know during normal flight, it endures 10 to 25 tons of centrifugal force? Even though it is the most important part, it is often overlooked by pilots.Â
This as a result leads to unexpected issues and serious damages. Therefore, it is very important to ensure that the propeller receives regular care and maintenance. In addition to long life, it also ensures safe operation. Here are some best tips when it comes to aircraft propeller maintenance.
What Do You Mean by a Propeller?
An aircraft propeller can be understood as an aerodynamic device that creates thrust and is roughly perpendicular to its plane of rotation. It is done by converting the rotational energy into a propulsive force. To provide the rotational energy, an electric motor or a gas turbine is mostly used. Also, a piston engine can do the work.Â
There are many light aircraft that come with a propeller mounted directly to the crankshaft of a piston engine. Additionally, it is the Reduction Gear Box or RGB which is connected to a piston or jet engine that can power the propeller aircraft. Furthermore, the RGB changes the engine's high rotation speed to one that is better suited for the operation of the propeller.
What are the Types of Aircraft Propellers Present?
There are many types of propeller aircraft present that you should know of. Some of these types of propellers are listed below.
Fixed Pitch Propellers
One of the first types of propellers that you would come across is the fixed-pitch propeller. They get their name as so because the angle of attack is constant throughout the flight. These propellers have their blades fixed while in the flight and fastened to the hub.
Whereas the engine shaft is fixed to the hub. Lift and thrust are produced by the angle of the attack of the blades when the engine is operating and the propeller is spinning. It is important to know that the fix-pitch propeller maintenance requirement is not much and their cost is also comparatively low.
Wooden Propellers
This is a kind of fixed propeller that is partially or composed of wood. The wooden propellers are known to be the first kind of aircraft propellers that were used in the aviation industry.Â
These are the ideal choice for light aircraft and homebuilt aircraft as well. Not only that, they are lightweight and very simple to maintain. However, they are considered to be less durable.
Metal Propellers
Metal propellers are just like fixed-pitch propellers that are totally or partially made up of metal. They are used in a range of aircraft regardless of their size.Â
These are generally heavier when compared to the wooden ones and also costly due to the manufacturing and everything else involved.
Ground Adjustable Propellers
Ground Adjustable aircraft propellers can be adjusted on the ground and this can be easily done by changing the pitch manually. These propellers are well known for their flexible nature and the performance for different flight conditions can be optimized by adjusting the angle of the blades.Â
When this is done, improvised performance of the aircraft can be expected. Moreover, talking about its costs, these are expensive and complex at the same time.
Contra Rotating Propellers
Contra Rotating Propellers have blades rotating in opposite directions. As there are two sets of blades present, they have one mounted behind the other in the same shaft.Â
They are well known for producing more thrust and produce less noise alongside more efficiency. In addition to this, the aircraft propeller is known to produce more vibration that may somehow leave an impact on the performance and need more attention for maintenance.
Turboprop Propellers
Turbopop propellers run with the help of the turbine engine and also have hubs as well as blades. They are no different from other types of propellers present and are fuel efficient.Â
The Turboprop propellers are known to be used for smaller airports because they prefer shorter takeoff and landing distances. Besides that, to avoid propeller repair taking place frequently, regular maintenance is recommended.
Constant Speed Propellers
Next comes in the list is the constant speed propeller which is a variable pitch propeller. They are known to maintain constant RPM which stands for Revolution Per Minute by constantly adjusting the angle of the blade.Â
The Constant Speed Propellers are well known to operate efficiently and produce more thrust. This is done by adjusting the angle of the blade to connect the power output. When it comes to maintenance, they require it the most.
Variable Pitch Propellers
Last but not least comes the Variable Pitch Propellers which provide optimized aircraft performance by adjusting the blade pitch. These are seen to be used for almost all types of aircraft and the blades can be adjusted both manually as well as automatically.Â
When the blade is adjusted, more or less thrust can be expected to be produced. Additionally, talking about their cost, they are known to be more expensive and complex. Also, they require more maintenance so that the functioning is not interrupted in any way.
Rely on the Best Propeller Repair Services Today
It does not matter what type of propeller your aircraft may have, regular maintenance is essential. When looking forward to propeller repair, you can visit us at Santa Monica Propeller. We are a small-scale certified FAA repair station with around 75 years of experience.Â
Our team stays a step ahead in the technology and is committed to quality guaranteeing success as well as satisfaction. Not only that, we have a range of propellers available for sale and expertise in repairing any of its systems. So count on us for a free quotation by reaching out today.