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I have an opportunity to replace my wooden propeller after a gusty crosswind landing ended with a nose-over and prop strike.
(Long story, but no injuries, no property damage, and only minor damage to the cowlings, although both my insurance company and Teledyne Continental say the engine must be torn down for a crankshaft inspection. I was flying from the right seat, but a non-tailwheel pilot was sitting behind the brake pedals. And the brakes grab really well since installing new linings just two months before. At least the nose-over will be cheaper and easier repairs than dented leading edges from running into tall corn, which was the motivation for brake application. VERY glad I installed shoulder harnesses during the restoration -- everyone should have them.)
Anyway, my ship left the factory with a Sensenich W72CK-44 cruise prop.
For the last four years, she's had a W72CK-42 standard prop.
I assumed those were my only approved options, but now I see the W72CK-40 climb prop also listed next to BC12-D in the Aircraft Spruce catalog. The Type Certificate A-696 just says "approved wood" props. Is it written somewhere that the 40-inch pitch climb prop is also approved?
I'd gladly trade cruise speed for better climb-out performance on high density altitude days during Iowa summers. Anyone have experience, good or bad, with a wood 40 pitch climb prop?
(And no, my cracked prop ain't for sale. It's already hanging on a certain young pilot's dorm room wall at the University of North Dakota as a memento mori.)
(Long story, but no injuries, no property damage, and only minor damage to the cowlings, although both my insurance company and Teledyne Continental say the engine must be torn down for a crankshaft inspection. I was flying from the right seat, but a non-tailwheel pilot was sitting behind the brake pedals. And the brakes grab really well since installing new linings just two months before. At least the nose-over will be cheaper and easier repairs than dented leading edges from running into tall corn, which was the motivation for brake application. VERY glad I installed shoulder harnesses during the restoration -- everyone should have them.)
Anyway, my ship left the factory with a Sensenich W72CK-44 cruise prop.
For the last four years, she's had a W72CK-42 standard prop.
I assumed those were my only approved options, but now I see the W72CK-40 climb prop also listed next to BC12-D in the Aircraft Spruce catalog. The Type Certificate A-696 just says "approved wood" props. Is it written somewhere that the 40-inch pitch climb prop is also approved?
I'd gladly trade cruise speed for better climb-out performance on high density altitude days during Iowa summers. Anyone have experience, good or bad, with a wood 40 pitch climb prop?
(And no, my cracked prop ain't for sale. It's already hanging on a certain young pilot's dorm room wall at the University of North Dakota as a memento mori.)
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