It depends ...
WOULD LIKE SOME INPUT ON PROP SET UP FOR FIXED PITCH 0320 160HP CARBURATED ENGINE SET UP . PLEASE CAN ANYONE GIVE ME THE PROS AND CONS FOR EACH, AND WHAT THE PRICE DIFFERENCE MIGHT BE ??????? THIS IS A RV6A SET UP
THANKS
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On the same plane (O-320, 160HP, RV6) I have flown:
1. Ed Sterba, 2-blade, Fix Pitch Wood
2. MT, 2-blade, Fixed Pitch Composite
3. Craig Catto, 3-blade, Fixed Pitch Composite
4. Hartzell, 2-blade, Variable Pitch Metal
Have also flown an RV9A (O-320) with the same 3-blade Catto and a 2-blade Sensenich.
[And I have a NEW Sensenich, 2-blade Fixed Pitch Metal if anyone is interested. By the way, my buddies with same engine and the Sensenich would outclimb me and outrun too unless I turned high RPM with the wood and composites]
Summary of all of this ...
The Sterba is the best value (lowest cost to get in the air). It was the original prop and gave good performance.
The MT was a bit smoother and yielded a few more knots of speed. Not sure if the take-off roll was better or worse (may have been a few feet more ... I am doing this from memory now)
The Catto 3-blade "felt" lighter on the plane for some reason. Again maybe a little more performance on the top end. Maybe the shorter blades made the initial cranking feel quicker. (As noted, the 3-blade is a little more work if you have an "A" model RV)
With the Hartzell, I obviously climb faster but to my surprise, I tend to fly faster (several knots). What I **think** is happening is that I will naturally run more MP at a controlled RPM than with the fixed pitch props.
With some of the props, I did Phase one tests of up to 2850 (NOT WITH METAL PROPS).
What this means is that depending upon on how well tuned your prop is for YOUR plane and the way YOU fly, any of them will be just fine.
If you want the best WEATHER protection, go metal.
If you want the smooth and light and sexy, go 3-blade Catto
If you want smooth and light and pretty good looking consider 2-blade composite
If you want economical, go Sterba
If you want best acceleration, braking, climb and maybe top speed go CS
This did not answer your question directly but I do not think there is an absolute answer.
There was something I liked about ALL of the above props.
Your Mileage May Vary.
James