Catto prop hours in service

burgundyja · #1 09-13-2019, 07:46 AM

How many hours do you have on your none nickel leading edge catto prop?

jeffkersey · #2 09-13-2019, 08:08 AM

I operate off a grass strip and fly IFR/rain. The leading edge gets eroded. I have started putting epoxy on the leading edge. Not pretty, but it does the trick to protect from further erosion of the leading edge. Someday I will pull it off and send it back to Catto to have it reconditioned and painted. I will then have them put the tape on and see how that hold up...

sirlegin · #3 09-13-2019, 02:27 PM

I have used tape on the leading edges of my 3 blade since new and change the tape every annual. A few nicks in the paint on both sides of the blades now and again which are easy to smooth and refinish. Looks and works like new still. 560 hours

FORANE · #4 09-13-2019, 03:30 PM

Around 400 hours I think before I abandoned it. It's hanging on my garage wall. I too flew it in rain, mist, even some snow. Kept leading edge tape on as I could but it wouldn't hold near the tips. Craig said to throttle back in the rain, but I couldn't seem to do that. Used resin for leading edge repairs a time or two. The prop got a little out of balance and I found a MT electric prop so the Catto is on the garage wall.

Does Craig offer a trade in option for an old generation non-carbon prop that has been used and abused for the new version with nickel leading edge protection?
Would be nice to have a good backup for the times when the MT goes TU.

roadrunner20 · #5 09-13-2019, 08:58 PM

Wow! Looks like I'm the only one, so far, that has > 1000 hours.
It's held up very well. FWIW, I've been using prop guard for half of those hours.

ty1295 · #6 09-13-2019, 10:21 PM

I have a Catto in my hangar with over 4k hours on it, no nickel. I did not do the flying behind it though.

It does need work.

SHIPCHIEF · #7 09-14-2019, 09:46 AM

I have close to 200 hours on a 3 blade. It has one ding from a spinner screw that broke out and hit the prop blade on it's way to Parts Valhalla.
I slow down in rain, but sometimes not enough because I'm getting slight erosion of the paint, mostly on one blade. Go figure.
Also, sometimes when climbing thru 6000 ft (initial climb after take-off) the prop seems to go out of balance, like one blade changed shape. maybe it's a pressure or temperature thing? After a while it slowly joins the others and gets smoother.
I like this prop and would send it to CATTO for refinishing sometime down the road.