Added another prop to the Duck

[Yellow Duck]

Actually replaced the prop that came with my T-Craft when I purchased it. Two things I didn't like. 1) the prop had a nasty nick on the leading edge. I filed that out and dressed it all nicely. 2.) It was a 74 x 45 Pitch. I guess suppose to be std.I would indicate 115 + on a good day, but not really peppy getting out my short strip.

Sent to Jordan's prop shop, had it "overhauled", Actually they did a check for cracks, repitched it to 40 inches now 74 x 40 and static balanced it plus repainted the back side. The front was polished, well kinna.

I repolished it, and installed it on the Duck. A picture in my album (yellow duck) with my son-in-law, Eric.

Eric is one of my Sport Pilot students and now has about 10 hours. Flying from the left side now. (no right brakes) He is doing pretty good.

Yesterday was first flight since repitching. Gets off a little sooner, inital climb with two on board about 400-500 f/m then gets up to about 800-900 f/m. Cruise right on 100 mph.

Had a pretty good wind this morning and was doing 124 across the ground. Thought the fabric would come off. LOL

[srf471]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

Lee,
I have a 70 1/2 x 44 on my 85 hp L2M. I was planning on switching to a 74 x 44. Right now I climb like a banshee, but only cruise at 85mph. My prop shop "ran the numbers" and came up with the 7444 suggestion. What do you think?

Nick Preble

[Victor Gisclair]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

Nick I have a 74X45 on my 65 and climb at abt 400 to 500 depending on temp. and cruise at abt 95 to 100.

[M Towsley]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

Nick,

My friends L2M is about the same. He outclimbs me with the 85, but then I walk away from him with my 65. He usually has to keep it at redline to stay up. When I go out to his hangar I will look to see what size his prop is, because I don't think it is the same as yours and he is getting the same performance. I would hate to see you buy the same one with ultimately the same performance. I know it is a McCauley, but that is about it. I will let you know.

[Yellow Duck]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

Nick, The size of the prop depends on what you want to accomplish. The 74 X 44 amounts to the standard prop or middle of the road with the 74 X40 or 41 amounts to a climb prop and the 74 X46 or 47 the cruise prop. Remember the pitch (the small number) theoretically moves 44 inches foward per rotation. So the small number or fine pitch will give you more RPM''s and therefore supposingly gives a little more climb. The large number 74 is the diameter of the prop, or 74 inches long.

On the T-craft with the 65, the standard for rpm's is about 1950-2150. It's in your service manual or one of the T-Craft books. This is the static RPM. (Full power with brakes held, sitting on the ground) Red line in the air is about 2300 , but I have known many to run much higher. Not recomended.

On my L-2 I ran a wood prop, 72 X 42 and did pretty good for my use. Short strip and cruise about 90, and climbed okay

Did I clear this up or made it more confusing.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

Metal? Wood? 85 HP TAylorcraft.... Metal is 71-48 will have to look up the specs on the wood prop.

[srf471]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

Metal Prop. Started life as a 7148 but at some point was redone to it's current state of 70.5x44. I get 2675 static, climb at 2600 (redline) and max cruise is 2675. My normal cruise is at 2350 where I get 85mph indicated. I'd love to get it up to 95-100 indicated if at all possible. As I said earlier Palm Beach Prop seens to think 7444 will get me there via a new prop, or turning mine to 70.5 x 48 will do the trick also.

Nick

[Yellow Duck]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

Nick getting 10 mph more is no easy task, but maybe a 48 or even a 50 in pitch prop. You would deff need to get more pitch. Maybe someone has the same thing you want and can give you their pitch.

As I said with my BC-12 D 65 HP 74x40 I get an even 100 indicated, with my 45 inch prop, I would get 110-115, so I guess you can pull 10 mph.

Luck

[M Towsley]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

Nick,

I looked at my friend's L2M and he has a metal McCauley, number CM7148. Remember, his performs about the same as yours with the above prop. Hope this helps.

[tocprez]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

Hi Gang,
I'm retired now so I've got more time to jump in on the discussions. I've got a metal 74-45 on my 12D that I think I'll have repitched to a 74-43. I always liked that combination on an A-65. By the way, I'm probably going to have all
my newsletters put on CD. I'm flattered that there's an interest in the past issues, stay tuned.
Bruce Bixler
TOC Prez

[VictorBravo]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

Hi Gang,
I'm retired now so I've got more time to jump in on the discussions. I've got a metal 74-45 on my 12D that I think I'll have repitched to a 74-43. I always liked that combination on an A-65. By the way, I'm probably going to have all
my newsletters put on CD. I'm flattered that there's an interest in the past issues, stay tuned.
Bruce Bixler
TOC Prez

Bruce, for what it may be worth, I write the monthly newsletter for my local EAA chapter. We have just switched to all electronic newsletters, which will save our chapter several hundred bucks a year in postage and allow them to be archived on our website. I think the T-craft club could benefit from this type of thing too. My suggestion is to put the newsletters into Adobe pdf format and post them on the club website. 90% of the members can retrieve the newsletters with no postage. The handful of folks who cannot access their newsletter via the website can be printed and mailed... or those people can just go down to their local print shop and have the 16 year old kid print it for them right from the club website. The club will save a bundle, as well as your time folding, stapling, stamping, addressing, going to the post office, etc. etc. An added bonus is that you can archive them on the website so everyone will be able to see the past issues. It makes the website into a technical library! I also humbly suggest that you use the Adobe Distiller program to convert from (Publisher, PageMaker, Ventura, etc etc whatever you use to write the newsletter) into the universal Adobe pdf format.

Bill Berle

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Added another prop to the Duck

I have been very fortunate in having a lot of different props around here to try... IF you can borrow one from somebody try that first. I have found that the Taylorcrafts like the longer props 74 is best. The 71 just happened to be used for certification on the 85 HP.
like the 69-50 was used on the F-19 ( it was borrowed from our Cessna 150 that day). then we were stuck with it . I think the 74-45 would have been the best.... good luck....the prop shop should know best!