3-blade props for C182's

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

Touchdown! Greaser!
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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
In the spirit of the "rookie pilot" questions....

55WB, a 1975 C182P, has a 2 blade prop and our club members are happy with the aircraft and the performance it brings to the club.

But I've also seen the same aircraft fitted with a 3-blade prop.

What does this prop bring to the party that the 2-blade doesn't? Does the aircraft owner give up anything?
 
Mike, your far more experienced than I am but with that said. I've been doing some research on planes and what I have found is, the 3 blade is quieter and less vibrations. And IIRC it improves climb and takeoff but may cost you a very small % of speed during cruise.
 
All I can come up with is, shorter blades so less distance traveled. Tips less likely to go supersonic so more power can be sent to the prop?

That is a guess but I could be totally off.
 
Ground clearance, sex appeal, less noise, better climb ....

that's all I got ..
 
One more blade.

More weight on the nose of an already nose heavy 182.
 
When I see a three bladed prop on a GA single I always figure that the airplane had a prop strike and the three bladed prop was a cheaper replacement.
 
Jim beat me to the punch. According to a couple pilot friends of mine, a three blade was the cheaper option on their planes.
 
The new MT or Hartzel composite props would be a nice upgrade. The paddle prop design moves the center of thrust to the middle of the blade vs. being on the tip = quieter. Plus more of the blade is actually making thrust rather than in beta. It's just a better prop.

McCauley props are garbage.
 
We put an MT two blade on our skywagon and dropped 9 pounds off the very foremost CG station.

It's a match made in heaven....
 
Keep in mind making sure you know where you're getting them fixed if you ding them and/or if you even can. And also what repairs run.

MT for example was only repairable overseas for a while and some forms of damage on the composites is grounding while that ding in a metal prop may be able to be field dressed and flown to the repair facility.

Me, if I can't get it repaired at Rocky Mtn Propeller, I won't buy it. They're obviously too close and too convenient to screw that up.

They'll even send a pickup truck over to get it. ;)

Consider your own local prop shop situation appropriately before purchase.
 
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