Ladies and Gentlemen - Please welcome N5188M

[Howard Wilson]

Re: Ladies and Gentlemen - Please welcome N5188M

Tell me more about metal over wood - Mike

............A termite walked into the bar, and asked "where's the bar-tender?"

[lfries]

Re: Ladies and Gentlemen - Please welcome N5188M

When I went to wood I slowed down. The Wood looks good, since mine is inside maintenance has not been a problem. I think it made the engine seem to run smoother. I do try to avoid flying in the rain.

[alwaysoar]

Re: Ladies and Gentlemen - Please welcome N5188M

Wood goes out of balance easily, and the brass leading edges and tips are soft and more easily dented than metal. The dents can't be dressed if they're deep. If you operate out of a grass (also known as gravel) strip and tie down, wood will be a problem. I get 85 mph with my 72CK42. They are smoother, and prettier.

Ed

[NC36061]

Re: Ladies and Gentlemen - Please welcome N5188M

An old instructor back home who had a fleet of Taylorcrafts for years used to say wood is good for building coffins, and propellers, if you want to end up in one. Wood props need to be kept in a horizontal orientation - moisture can collect in the low blade and cause imbalance. Obviously weather is an issue if kept outside, and they can be damaged or delaminate if run in the rain. Metal props can be repitched within limits, and straightened if bent in a prop strike, provided the damage isn't too severe. Metal is just less maintenance and more flexible with regard to pitch and repair. On the plus side for wood, I think that there is less potential for engine damage with a prop strike, as the prop will break (hopefully) before cranks, flanges, etc bend. And of course, nothing looks as good as a shiny new wood prop on a fresh restoration.

I do know of an Aeronca Chief that sat in a hangar for probably 20 years with a prop that looked about like the one on 88M. The owner finally sold it and the buyer flew it away with that prop and duct tape over the holes in the 40+ year old cotton.............

Dave

[high time cub]

Re: Ladies and Gentlemen - Please welcome N5188M

Bill, Howard,
Glad to see I'm not the only one here with a "warped" sense of humor...
Jim