On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:57:13 +0000 (UTC), Bertie the Bunyip
wrote:

sid wrote in news:702f8b8d-b77e-452c-904c-
:

On older planes, does the angle of attack change ? Does the prop angle
relax like a motorboat prop does after 1 or 2 decades of constant
use ? (fixed pitch of course)

There are some older warriors on the field (20 - 25) years, and it
seems that there props don't have the bite that the new warrior (10
years old) does.


No, but years of wear and dressing the prop because of nicks and what not
doesn't do them any good at all.


Bertie


I have a fibreglass covered wooden prop which makes it reasonably
resilient in light rain. I paint it.
when the aforesaid light rain has eroded the paint near the leading
edge I lose 5 knots in cruise speed.

also If I alter the shape with a poor paint coat I lose cruise speed.

the other factor with some commercial aircraft is that there are often
3 props approved for them. a climb, a utility and a cruise prop.
on little cessnas they are each 2 inches of pitch apart.
memories of cruise with a cruise prop would make cruise on a climb
prop seem quite anaemic.

.....and what bertie wrote.

Stealth Pilot