Catto Prop
I also have a 66x72 3-blade Catto on a stock O320D1A in an RV9A. Top speed is 188 mph TAS at 2750 RPM at low altitude. Solo climb at sea level is generally 1600 feet/minute, and higher when it is cold. Its rate of climb exceeds 500 feet/minute at 16,000'. At takeoff Vx, my plane generally climbs as well or better than RV6's with higher horsepower engines. Its superior climb performance may be due to the prop or to the 9's greater wing area. At cruise, an O360 climbs and accelerates better, and goes faster. The real drawback to a fixed pitch prop is that it cannot slow down like a plane with a constant speed prop. This makes close formation-flying difficult if not dangerous. In formation flying, I hang back a hundred yards or so and stay to one side. Most of my cruising is done throttled back to 2000 rpm and 130 mph TAS while burning 4.5 gph and getting 29 mpg.
Leland
