3 blade props. What do you think?

[DaV8or]

I think a lot of three blade props got put on vintage Mooneys to get away from the recurring Hartzell hub AD. Once upon a time, it was your only option.

[scottfromiowa]

Quote: DaV8or

I think a lot of three blade props got put on vintage Mooneys to get away from the recurring Hartzell hub AD. Once upon a time, it was your only option.

[John Pleisse]

Quote: fantom

 If you do it, you might very well be a trailblazing first.

[Seth]

Quote: FoxMike

Michael,

A four blade MT is STCed to the TLS.  It was done in Europe but can be installed on US airplanes.  The advantages are shorter TO distance, less noise, little better climb.  Disadvantages less cruise, more maintenance cost.  One of the folks at Mooney told me they tried one on a factory TLS and were not impressed.  If you have known ice you would lose that certification unless you wanted to do the testing.  The Acclaim would require a complete a do over of testing.  What you have now is pretty good and more blades is not going to help much unless you want shorter TO distance.    

Walt

[fantom]

Quote: scottfromiowa

The reasons for putting a 3-blade prop on a 4-cyl Mooney are out there.

[John Pleisse]

Quote: fantom

We know the primary one:

 

[Comatose]

Scott, was this J at D25 blue stripes, came in late Sat and left early Sunday? I think you just called my (C model) baby ugly! You do have a good looking bird, though.

[KSMooniac]

Quote: N4352H

[Hank]

Hmmm, what did someone say about airplane design being a series of compromises? Change prop, experience RPM-restriction speed loss. Install turbo, regain lost speed, increase operating altitude, experience higher fuel burn and increased maintenance. Guess you can't have your cake and eat it, too.

[KSMooniac]

Losing 11 lbs off the nose will help offset much of the weight of a TN system, and that is what I'm after.  Flying at 85% power all day long and TAS approaching 190 knots at 11 GPH will be worth the compromise for me.  

[John Pleisse]

Quote: KSMooniac

[scottfromiowa]

No Comatose.  I know the difference between a C and a J.  The J was where the Beech had been when I arrived on Monday.  The J was right next to the fuel pump...I'll be back up chasing Grouse and Woodcock this weekend and next.  I would always find X-Ray prettier than a blue bird though.  Hate to see what she would do if I looked to long at your C on the ramp...

I believe my 3-blade prop did minimize damage to my plane during a gear up while under instruction...doesn't help with lowering the gear...or +1 there.  Best landing I ever made without the gear extended.

[Comatose]

I figured, but evidently I was parked next to you Saturday night, and have a J prop/spinner/cowling/mods, and had a cover on. Small world, anyway!

 

[jetdriven]

Acccording to some pilots on here, that plane is now "worthless" because "you can just never know" all the damage thats been done to it..  ......

Quote: fantom

We know the primary one:

 

[rbridges]

Quote: fantom

We know the primary one:

 

[scottfromiowa]

The "Q" in the N number stands for Q-tip (on the prop).  This is the highly sought after and ultra rare pneumatic gear slow retraction edition allowing "no step" entry onto the wing.  The elimination of the external step is good for something like 50 knots improved airspeed...that's why some Mooney drivers hack theirs off.  That plane is priceless...

[scottfromiowa]

Comatose...My bad.  I bet that was your plane.  I was outside fence in car and just swung in for a quick look as I saw all the backwards tails.  The cowl and cabin cover "got me".  I guess I CAN'T tell the difference between an E and a C.  NICE PLANE!  Post some photos in your gallery.  (and I DIDN'T call her UGLY.  No Mooney is ugly to me) I said X-Ray was sexier...Doesn't everyone think that of their plane?

[banjo]

l lost 5 knots on Cruise a big drop, climb a little better.

bottom line the 2 blade much better

 

[wylie]

I put a 2 blade Hartzel Top Prop on my 67 C a few years ago to clear the prop AD.  Overall happy with it with 2 exceptions:  1) too much blade leading edge erosion in rain, and 2) too many SB's on the long polished spinner that was required with the original STC.  I wanted to keep my short spinner but was not permitted.  Hartzel stated at that time they wanted to have the new look of that long pointy spinner to go with the Top Prop.  Big mistake.  It looks out-of-place on the C model and has apparantly had some severe cracking problems in service.  They now are offering a composite spinner replacement, unfortunately of the same long pointy configuration.   Or I can put on my old short polished metal spinner,  but that requires pulling the prop again since the adapter ring is not compatible.

The other significant 2 blade vs. 3 blade advantage I have not seen mentioned here is one less blade to pick up prop ice.  That just might make the difference in being able to get on-top or not sometime.

The bottom line is clearly a 2 blade is the best way to go on these classic airplanes.

[MARZ]

I think the MT is the only prop that will eliminate in total the rpm restrictions on my F.  I asked the price two years ago and have just gotten over the sticker shock.

[KSMooniac]

Quote: maropers

I think the MT is the only prop that will eliminate in total the rpm restrictions on my F.  I asked the price two years ago and have just gotten over the sticker shock.

[Hank]

My bird came with a 3-blade so I can't make any comparisons. But I like it! Quick, efficient and vibration-free. Just have to turn it often to hook up the towbar [top balde vertical] or when traveling and parking outdoors [bottom blade vertical for water drainage after removing towbar]. Every time I check, I seem to be making book speed, so I have nothing to complain about.

[Parker_Woodruff]

Best results I've seen/heard for speed on the M20J are the 2-blade Top Prop.  Make sure they put the spacers in correctly, as that's what Don Maxwell was saying was a cause for spinner cracks.

I prefer the 3-blade prop over a 2-blade prop on the M20K - primarily for climb performance, but it also looks nice with the longer nose, IMO.  Sometimes I wonder if my hot prop is causing any significant loss of performance due to drag.  The drawback of 3 blades is in the loss of useful load, but I'm offsetting that by doing the Encore conversion.

[MARZ]

Quote: KSMooniac

It will, and you might ask again, especially around Sun n Fun or Oshkosh, or just ask for that pricing.  I've been flying behind one for 11 months with mixed results, and am not sure I'd recommend it for most.

[KSMooniac]

Mike, it is a good bit less than that, even with a shiny spinner.