OK, why do they cover the prop?

[C J Campbell]

This month's EAA calendar features an Aeronca Champ on skis. I don't fly
much in weather that is THAT cold, so....

What is with the foxy covers on the prop?

--
Christopher J. Campbell
World Famous Flight Instructor
Port Orchard, WA


If you go around beating the Bush, don't complain if you rile the animals.

[Peter Duniho]

"C J Campbell" > wrote in message
...
> This month's EAA calendar features an Aeronca Champ on skis. I don't fly
> much in weather that is THAT cold, so....
>
> What is with the foxy covers on the prop?

Especially if it's a wood prop, I imagine it's simply to protect the prop
from the weather. Even a metal prop might have to be deiced if you don't
cover it; the cover simply saves some time during preflight.

Pete

[G.R. Patterson III]

C J Campbell wrote:
>
> What is with the foxy covers on the prop?

The claim is that a prop, particularly a metal one, will pull heat from the engine.
If you are just shutting down for a few hours, prop and engine covers will help
keep the engine warm.

George Patterson
Love, n.: A form of temporary insanity afflicting the young. It is curable
either by marriage or by removal of the afflicted from the circumstances
under which he incurred the condition. It is sometimes fatal, but more
often to the physician than to the patient.

[Randy at Home]

"Peter Duniho" > wrote in message
...
| "C J Campbell" > wrote in message
| ...
| > This month's EAA calendar features an Aeronca Champ on skis. I don't fly
| > much in weather that is THAT cold, so....
| >
| > What is with the foxy covers on the prop?
|
| Especially if it's a wood prop, I imagine it's simply to protect the prop
| from the weather. Even a metal prop might have to be deiced if you don't
| cover it; the cover simply saves some time during preflight.

One instructor at the local FBO told me that it was to prevent corrosion
from bird poop from the birds who like sitting on the props.

[Dale]

In article >,
"Peter Duniho" > wrote:


>
> Especially if it's a wood prop, I imagine it's simply to protect the prop
> from the weather. Even a metal prop might have to be deiced if you don't
> cover it; the cover simply saves some time during preflight.

My prop cover was insulated so it did more than just keep frost from
forming on it.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

[Dave Stadt]

The prop is a huge heat sink that draws heat out of the engine. The covers
are put on to help keep the engine warm during $100 hamburgers in the
winter. This guy also had a small Honda generator running to supply his
Tannis heater. OBTW they were coyote skins not fox. It is not unusual to
see them used up nort in the winter eh.


"C J Campbell" > wrote in message
...
> This month's EAA calendar features an Aeronca Champ on skis. I don't fly
> much in weather that is THAT cold, so....
>
> What is with the foxy covers on the prop?
>
> --
> Christopher J. Campbell
> World Famous Flight Instructor
> Port Orchard, WA
>
>
> If you go around beating the Bush, don't complain if you rile the animals.
>
>
>

[Peter Duniho]

"Dale" > wrote in message
...
> My prop cover was insulated so it did more than just keep frost from
> forming on it.

How did it do that? Did your prop have an internal heat source? Other than
keeping frost from your prop, what did the insulated cover do?

Pete

[Dale]

In article >,
"Peter Duniho" > wrote:


> How did it do that? Did your prop have an internal heat source? Other than
> keeping frost from your prop, what did the insulated cover do?

It kept the prop from dissipating the heat applied to the engine by my
pre-heater.

That McCauley was an 82 inch heat-sink.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

[Peter Duniho]

"Dale" > wrote in message
...
> It kept the prop from dissipating the heat applied to the engine by my
> pre-heater.

Interesting. I didn't realize so much heat could be transferred through the
crankshaft. I guess it makes sense though...the prop does have a lot of
surface area, so heat flow is easy to have.

On the bright side, with the engine pre-heater pumping heat through the
prop, you didn't have to worry about frost. :)

Pete

[Cub Driver]

>What is with the foxy covers on the prop?

Wood prop?

all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

[Dan Thomas]

"Peter Duniho" > wrote in message >...
> "Dale" > wrote in message
> ...
> > It kept the prop from dissipating the heat applied to the engine by my
> > pre-heater.
>
> Interesting. I didn't realize so much heat could be transferred through the
> crankshaft. I guess it makes sense though...the prop does have a lot of
> surface area, so heat flow is easy to have.

There's an AD against Lycomings of 160 HP and over using
fixed-pitch props that demands an inspection of the internal bore of
the front end of the crank. This end stays pretty cool when the engine
is running, even in warm weather, and the low temp causes condensation
to form in that bore, which is open to the crankcase, and the water
and oil form acidic sludge that eats pits in the bore and weakens the
crank. I think there has been only one failure so far, though a lot of
cranks have been found with the pitting. Constant-speed props use that
bore (plugged off at the rear) to feed oil to the prop, so it's not a
problem. And I suppose a composite or wooden prop would be much
better, not wicking away so much heat.

Dan