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04-12-2013, 12:57 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Durango, CO
Posts: 126
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Brice,
I would like to know the range of pitches available. I've called and emailed Sensenich and have never gotten that question answered. I think I will need to be somewhere in the 75" to 80" range.
Jim
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04-12-2013, 02:12 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ramona, CA
Posts: 2,370
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I'm also very interested in this prop. I was only able to see 2 of the 3 photos. I'm wondering about the spinner and spacer and what they look like.
Did you order it through Van's?
Thanks!
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04-12-2013, 02:25 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Edgewater, FL. KSFB
Posts: 1,118
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I was at Sun-N-Fun the last couple of days and one of the things I was looking at is propellers. Since Sensenich is available through Van's it gets you a $1000 discount with an engine which I was also shopping for. While shopping props I happened to stop at the Whirlwind booth not really having an interest in C/S. He mentioned that their sister company sells the Ground adjustable composite.
http://www.whirlwindpropellers.com/g..._lycoming.html
This is the old Whirlwind company that goes by Whirlwind Propoellers and not Whirlwind Aviation. This prop looked just like the Sensenich but if he quoted me correctly it was much cheaper than the sensenich. It might be something for you to check out.
I opted for the three blade Catto since Van's didn't offer their regular SNF discount I bought the engine and prop somewhere else.
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04-14-2013, 07:18 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Federal Way, Wa
Posts: 264
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More info
I have been working long hours on a work project and have not been able to get back to this. I will attempt to answer the questions.
The indexing is done with each blade individually. I received three pins marked 2 through 7. Each end is the next increment up. The diameters of the pin are slightly different. With the blade in the hub, and the pin inserted into the hole in the hub, the blade is rotated until the blade pin contacts the pitch pin. That side of the hub is then snugged down, the pin removed, and the steps repeated on the other side. The fit of the blade in the hub is very precise, so much so that after just placing the blade in the hub, it resists a little when trying to remove it. Composites are not very forgiving with loose fits, and I am impressed with the precision of the fit.
Of course it is also possible to use a propeller protractor to set blade pitch.
The documentation oddly does not call out the pitch range. It does recommend to start with pitch pin #4.
I will try and get more photos out of the spinner and spacer. Any tips on how to get picasaweb photos to show? I used the and it still did not show. The spinner is well made, and mostly carbon fiber with fiberglass as a galvanic isolation ply. It comes fully assembled with hardware and openings cut for the prop. Finish is ready to paint in a flat white primer, with no pin holes to be seen anywhere. The aft spinner plate is attached with what look like AN525 round head washer head screws.
Sensenich had a -4 that they tested the propeller on. When I called them just before shipping, they had just test flown the pitch 4 setting to finalize that configuration and were ready to start drilling the pitch pins. So they should have more information on the performance of the -4 if you call them.
As far as just being more expensive air boat props, I would expect that to some degree because the increased levels of engineering, testing, tolerances, quality standards, and inspection typical of aircraft grade hardware. The fact that they are building these air boat props at significantly high quantities speaks to the maturity of the process being used.
What is the construction of the Whirlwind propellers? Their props have electroplated nickle leading edges, and the Sensenich blades used a co-cured metal insert (guessing stainless steel). I must admit to liking the Sensenich prop shape more than the others.
Ultimately my decision to buy this prop is more based on the experience of the company and its reputation, what I understand about the construction method and materials, and some rumors of improved performance in both climb and cruise. In the absence of any published performance results, this was more of an experiment than a comprehensive trade of all alternatives. Lastly, with 25 yrs developing advanced composites, I needed a composite part on plane that was a little more advanced in form and function than the rest of the composites on the plane.
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Brice
RV-9A 90897 FLYING
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04-15-2013, 10:45 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Federal Way, Wa
Posts: 264
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Photos not on picasaweb
OK, I moved everything over to imageshack.com and the links now work. These are cell phone camera pictures so they are not the best.

Tips and leading edge co-cured metal.

Prop, hub halves, and spacer

Hub with blades

Overall prop configuration

Closeup of blade, half a hub, and pitch pin

Set of pitch pins included with prop

Carbon fiber spinner

Spinner back plate
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Brice
RV-9A 90897 FLYING
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05-14-2013, 09:53 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Ramona, Ca
Posts: 259
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Any Pireps yet?
Just received my new Sensenich 2G0M7-C72RG ground adjustable prop. It only took a week from placement of order (through Van's) to arrival. So basically no wait since it was shipped from Fla to California. This will be replacing the standard Sensenich metal prop on my 9A. I plan on taking some repeatable performance data with the metal prop before mounting the new prop. Reason for the change? I am tired of having to always be watching for the 2600 RPM red line on the metal prop.
Is anyone flying with the new prop yet (on any RV) and if so would you care to share your thoughts, impressions or performance info????
[i]By the way at some point in the near future I will probably have a prop, spinner and spacer for sale at reasonable price (hint-hint)
Bill
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Bill RV-9A Flying
FFI- Flight Lead
N99WC
Ramona, CA (KRNM)
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05-14-2013, 01:51 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Lake Country, B.C. Canada
Posts: 2,416
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sensenich vs whirlwind
Yes, these props look identical! to me....except the sens has pitch indexing.
what's up with that? anyone have actual pricing on the whirlwind? I couldn't find it anywhere on the various sites, you have to ask for a quote, and I didn't want to waste their time.
would like to see if the whirlwind is $1700, not unlike the Sens airboat props...rather than the $2800 for the aircraft one.
How do you guys deal with the new W&B, with even less weight on the nose, I'd start to be concerned with my aft limit!
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Perry Y.
RV-9a - SOLD!....
Lake Country, BC
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05-14-2013, 03:40 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
Posts: 2,182
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Carbon Fiber to Aluminum corrosion?
Any potential galvanic corrosion issues with that carbon fiber spinner bulkhead in contact with the aluminum prop hub or an aluminum prop spacer?
I remember a special airworthlessness information bulletin (SAIB) being issued several years ago on aftermarket carbon fiber spinner bulkheads for Cherokees that were seen corroding the back of the propellers.
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Neal Howard
Airplaneless once again...
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05-19-2013, 07:10 PM
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: Mount Vernon, Wa
Posts: 643
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Bump!
How 'bout it? Anyone flying it yet?
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Ken W.
Mount Vernon, WA
2020 VAF Supporter
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05-19-2013, 07:14 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Gold Hill, NC25
Posts: 2,400
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There is an RV-4 flown by Dave Hirshman that has one. It was at our clininc this weekend.
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Kahuna
6A, S8 ,
Gold Hill, NC25
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