A reason to avoid dynamic propeller balancing?

[Cody Stallings]

On 3/26/2021 at 5:42 PM, A64Pilot said:

I guess it’s fugly, but not any fuglier than the AH-64. We worked with an Air Force unit in the late 80’s. they were interested in how we “did” nights. One commented on how he now understood now why we flew so much at night, we were too ugly to be allowed out in the daytime.

‘Later we found out that they were the F-117 squadron, now talk about an ugly airplane. I wish I knew then what they flew.

 

Been observing MT Gurus doing Flight tests with a local Air Tractor 802 with same prop an same Turbine. I think the STC is complete now.

The MT would outperform the Hartzell to 15K feet by 3 minutes.

Both Props 118 inches, but the MT is much lighter an is of newer more advanced blade designs.

 

That being said there is no chance I would want a MT on a Cropduster or a Close air support aircraft due to the fact MT’s don’t deal with Powerlines, Houses, Cars or small ATV’s that well. Hartzell’s will chew them up an get the pilot an plane back home.

[Cobramech]

What you were told about why NOT to get a prop balance is totally bogus!  There is both a lot of misunderstanding and ignorance on this subject.  You SHOULD get a prop balance, even if you don't think you feel vibrations.  Pilots get used to the 'feel' of their airplanes and often think it's butter smooth - until they get a prop balance and see what a difference it can make in feel and sound.  I've balanced props on planes where the owners swore it didn't need balanced because is was "glass smooth".  Some of these props were incredibly out of balance and the owner couldn't believe what a difference it made.  If very little is noticed, that's because the prop was already in good balance.  However, this cannot be know until the equipment is installed and an actual reading is taken.  I have done prop balancing and vibration analysis for about 30 years and you wouldn't believe the comments - both before and after - that I've heard.  A dynamic balance will have absolutely NO interaction with the harmonic dampeners on the crankshaft AND will help elongate the life of your engine, components, airframe, instruments and avionics!

[Justin Schmidt]

23 minutes ago, Cobramech said:

What you were told about why NOT to get a prop balance is totally bogus!  There is both a lot of misunderstanding and ignorance on this subject.  You SHOULD get a prop balance, even if you don't think you feel vibrations.  Pilots get used to the 'feel' of their airplanes and often think it's butter smooth - until they get a prop balance and see what a difference it can make in feel and sound.  I've balanced props on planes where the owners swore it didn't need balanced because is was "glass smooth".  Some of these props were incredibly out of balance and the owner couldn't believe what a difference it made.  If very little is noticed, that's because the prop was already in good balance.  However, this cannot be know until the equipment is installed and an actual reading is taken.  I have done prop balancing and vibration analysis for about 30 years and you wouldn't believe the comments - both before and after - that I've heard.  A dynamic balance will have absolutely NO interaction with the harmonic dampeners on the crankshaft AND will help elongate the life of your engine, components, airframe, instruments and avionics!

Where are you located?

[Joshua Blackh4t]

1 hour ago, Cobramech said:

What you were told about why NOT to get a prop balance is totally bogus!  There is both a lot of misunderstanding and ignorance on this subject.  You SHOULD get a prop balance, even if you don't think you feel vibrations.  Pilots get used to the 'feel' of their airplanes and often think it's butter smooth - until they get a prop balance and see what a difference it can make in feel and sound.  I've balanced props on planes where the owners swore it didn't need balanced because is was "glass smooth".  Some of these props were incredibly out of balance and the owner couldn't believe what a difference it made.  If very little is noticed, that's because the prop was already in good balance.  However, this cannot be know until the equipment is installed and an actual reading is taken.  I have done prop balancing and vibration analysis for about 30 years and you wouldn't believe the comments - both before and after - that I've heard.  A dynamic balance will have absolutely NO interaction with the harmonic dampeners on the crankshaft AND will help elongate the life of your engine, components, airframe, instruments and avionics!

Wait, is this another bot like the museum girl? 

Dear robots, please go away. You are substandard. You are not making the world better. 

[Austintatious]

2 hours ago, Cobramech said:

What you were told about why NOT to get a prop balance is totally bogus!  There is both a lot of misunderstanding and ignorance on this subject.  You SHOULD get a prop balance, even if you don't think you feel vibrations.  Pilots get used to the 'feel' of their airplanes and often think it's butter smooth - until they get a prop balance and see what a difference it can make in feel and sound.  I've balanced props on planes where the owners swore it didn't need balanced because is was "glass smooth".  Some of these props were incredibly out of balance and the owner couldn't believe what a difference it made.  If very little is noticed, that's because the prop was already in good balance.  However, this cannot be know until the equipment is installed and an actual reading is taken.  I have done prop balancing and vibration analysis for about 30 years and you wouldn't believe the comments - both before and after - that I've heard.  A dynamic balance will have absolutely NO interaction with the harmonic dampeners on the crankshaft AND will help elongate the life of your engine, components, airframe, instruments and avionics!

Id like to know where you are as well.