IOX-360 prop recommendation/experience

[Daida]

Hi there,

Building an RV-8, ECI Titan IOX-360 (8,5:1), Superior cold air sump, Vetterman 4 into 2 exhaust. Will be operated mostly in and out of grass strips in europe.

The engine was not on the dyno yet, but i suppose it will put out something in the neighbourhood of 190hp.

All the years I planned on using a Sensenich aluminum prop with 86" pitch as the 85" pitch prop is designed for 180hp.

Official prop limits from sensenich is 180hp max for their aluminum props, the ground adjustable is tested for up to 200hp.

I am just curious about the durability of the composite blades on grass strips and/or rain.

Any experience/thoughts/recommendations to be shared are highly appreciated!

Thanks!

[jay bell]

I highly recommend talking to the folks at Catto if you don't want a CS prop. I have no experience with Ground adjustable props, but I suspect I would leave it alone once I found the best setting.

Craig Catto is good at determining the pitch you need based on your flying requirements and engine combination. My Catto prop has metal leading edges, which are more durable in rain and dirt fields than my previous sensinich aluminum prop. I damaged my prop once, and Catto repaired it very quickly.

I fly out of grass strips at least once per month, and get out better than typical GA planes such as C-172s. My prop is on the fine side, so I can't run full power in level cruise without exceeding 2700 rpm. This suits me, since I normally set power at 7.5gph LOP for economy cruise at 150kts TAS.

Catto (and other composite brands) props are much lighter than aluminium props, increasing performance and useful load. The light prop affects your CG, so be wary of adding significant weight aft, such as a heavy paint job.

Good luck with your eventual choice. From what I have seen, all the major brands have a good product, it is just a matter of picking which one fits your needs best
Jay

[Neal@F14]

The stainless leading edges of the Sensenich GA prop handle rain excellently, and grass runway ops are usually kinder on all prop blades than paved runways since there is rarely ever any bits of gravel found on grass, but often some on paved runways.... even smooth concrete. I leave my prop at one setting, like a fixed pitch, once I found a favorite pitch setting, but having the option to change if I desire is nice.