(Dan Thomas) wrote in message . com...
(Jay) wrote in message . com...
Seems to me that some of the benefits of the constant speed prop were
based on the limitiations of timing (ignition and valve) of the
Lyco/Conti engines. If your engine was designed to have a large
dynamic range of efficient operation, you won't need the articulated
prop as much.

.. . . snip . . .
A fixed-pitch prop is a compromise and is like having only second
gear in your car: lousy acceleration, lousy highway speed. Could this
be fixed with fancy engine doodads? Nope. More gears are needed, and
the constant-speed prop is the airplane's transmission.

It seems to me that the gear analogy is spot on. A variable pitch
prop has EXACTLY the same function as the gearbox on a car.