74 inch BA prop on the taildragger
John;
No, it is not generally agreed upon that the 74 inch is better. There is a discussion on the Matronics site that you may have read? called "Blended Airfoil 72" vs. 74"" started by "Jim Thorne" in March of '06. A search of this (Vansairforce) site, on the subject, gives more reading. Such as "Which Prop To Order" June '06. Many people feel that the larger diameter improves climb performance. Like many engineering compromises, this may come at the cost of cruise speed. We are probably talking small differences of cruise speed. No one wants a prop strike either and I wouldn't want a 1/8 inch interference between the prop and the ground. The early RV-4 had such problems and perhaps this is why Van's is being cautious? I would like to know what the typical clearance is on the RV-7?, both in tail-up and tail down, at gross weight?
Jim