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Propeller clearance

olegusan

Member
I've tried on the propeller on my RV-12 today and the prop plane looks really close to the front of the nose gear - 90mm (3.5") and the tips are very close to the ground - 290mm (11.5")

Please tell me this is normal!

With the prop this close to the ground and the nose gear, the prop strikes should be a routine event for someone flying from grass.

I use a 3-blade Bolly prop 66" actual diameter.
Standard 70" Sensenich would be 2" closer to the ground.

Cheers,
Oleg
 
With the prop this close to the ground and the nose gear, the prop strikes should be a routine event for someone flying from grass.

Your fears are unfounded. I fly my RV-12 with Sensenich 2-bladed prop from grass private strip and prop remains in excellent shape.
 
§ 23.925 Propeller clearance.
Unless smaller clearances are sub- stantiated, propeller clearances, with the airplane at the most adverse com- bination of weight and center of grav- ity, and with the propeller in the most adverse pitch position, may not be less than the following:
(a) Ground clearance. There must be a clearance of at least seven inches (for each airplane with nose wheel landing gear) or nine inches (for each airplane with tail wheel landing gear) between each propeller and the ground with the landing gear statically deflected and in the level, normal takeoff, or taxing at- titude, whichever is most critical.

You can’t do it with a nose gear aircraft but with a tail wheel aircraft you can lift the tail to see the attitude required for the prop to touch. It’s surprising how noise down the aircraft needs to be to touch the prop. Your distance from prop to nosewheel also seems fine. I am surprised how close that distance is on many certified aircraft.
 
Thank you for your reassuring replies!

I guess, I need to remember to taxi this plane with control stick all the way aft. just in case :)

Cant wait to get the engine started for the first time!
 
I guess, I need to remember to taxi this plane with control stick all the way aft. just in case :)
Cant wait to get the engine started for the first time!

As you should with any tri-geared airplane. Or any small airplane for that matter.
 
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