Well, since you decided to use the posting by our non profit club to
promote your commercial product, let me respond to you. You said "Clearly
the OEM two-blade metal prop is not easily available used and we even hear
it is more expensive new IF it can be found." In fact a new standard prop
is available from McCauley and it is about 1/2 your total price after
adjustment for the Euro exchange rate, installation kit, shipping, customs
duties and your STC fee. Second, if the performance and sales of your 4
blade units were as successful as you claim - there should be lots of used
obsolete 2 blades around - and there aren't any.

I have a good deal of experience with the Hoffman 4 blade unit on both the
L-19 and the Pawnee and have flown behind them in multiple different
locations (including your location at Boulder). It is a valuable product -
particularly in the 260 hp. application where noise sensitivity is
important and near range obstacle clearance is less important. It is not
however the solution to all applications and remains unproven in the 235 hp
application where near range obstacle clearance is essential. We operate
two 235 hp Pawnees out of a 3000' runway with significant obstacles at both
ends. We experimented with a 4 blade unit on our L-19 and abandoned the
experiment when we found that ground acceleration and obstacle clearance
was unsatisfactory. That is why we are looking for a standard 2 blade prop.



Roy A. Bourgeois, President
Greater Boston Soaring Club