Prop reverse...on a piston

No, but I like the idea, especially for some seaplane ops, I've enjoyed reverse in the turbines I've flown, especially TPEs.

Frankly though I can only imagine what that MT system costs.
 
Ha, no kidding. There's a reason why the price isn't listed anywhere...

This indeed would make float ops so much easier. I sent the video to my father who flew Otter/Beaver/185 amphib/ski/etc and he thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread. This coming from the guy that saw me showing off a G1000 for the first time when I took him up in a DA40, and said "meh...wouldn't last a week in the north" lol.


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James331 said:
No, but I like the idea, especially for some seaplane ops, I've enjoyed reverse in the turbines I've flown, especially TPEs.

Frankly though I can only imagine what that MT system costs.
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The Turboprops I worked on didn't have reverse, just flat pitch, O deg., also referred to as "ground fine"
 
you didn't see the prop spinning backwards? :D

it's all in the pitch....beyond flat pitch (a degree or two) to reverse air-flow.:yes:
 
I wonder which piston was the first to employ a reversing system... The DC-6 is the earliest that comes to mind.

Cool video.
 
I know guys with the MT reversing prop on their Supercubs. Professional Pilots has that STC. It sounds like a toy that doesn't get used once the novelty wears off. I'm pretty sure thay can't use beta to slow the plane on rollout so its limited to parking ops. Its a Cub, they're already easy to park. Meh.

Prop and governor for a Cub is about $17,900.00. http://www.propilotsinc.com/pa-18-12-propeller-conversion/
 
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My friend John Mohr's Piaggio Royal Gull seaplane twin has reversing props. He charges head on to landings, can let people disembark and then just back out.
 
Stewartb said:
I'm pretty sure thay can't use beta to slow the plane on rollout so its limited to parking ops. Its a Cub, they're already easy to park. Meh.
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Not as easy to park on floats in certain winds/currents...having reverse capability is a huge advantage when docking - this is where this would pay off. Is it worth ~$20k though...hmmm that's another question!

Also, MT does advertise the ability to reduce landing rollout with this feature...although, these types of machines already land short and still need to be able to get out, so...kind of unnecessary.

From their website: "They are preferred for a decreased landing distance of land planes or for a better maneuverability of seaplanes."

http://www.mt-propeller.com/en/entw/pro_rev.htm

Thanks for posting the costs!
 
stratobee said:
My friend John Mohr's Piaggio Royal Gull seaplane twin has reversing props. He charges head on to landings, can let people disembark and then just back out.
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Dang, that's a cool bird right there.
 
3 in the green said:
Not as easy to park on floats in certain winds/currents...having reverse capability is a huge advantage when docking - this is where this would pay off. Is it worth ~$20k though...hmmm that's another question!

Also, MT does advertise the ability to reduce landing rollout with this feature...although, these types of machines already land short and still need to be able to get out, so...kind of unnecessary.

From their website: "They are preferred for a decreased landing distance of land planes or for a better maneuverability of seaplanes."

http://www.mt-propeller.com/en/entw/pro_rev.htm

Thanks for posting the costs!
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I never wanted or needed reverse during the years I was on floats with Cessnas or Cub. I was at the end if a congested canal, too. I might like a reversing prop when on wet ice on straight skis but that would just cultivate impatience, not more utility. Most Cubs don't use or want CS props while that's a standard item on a Husky. My new Cub project will use a constant speed prop but a reversing one isn't important. To each their own I guess. :-)
 
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Stewartb said:
I never wanted or needed reverse during the years I was on floats with Cessnas or Cub. I was at the end if a congested canal, too. I might like a reversing prop when on wet ice on straight skis but that would just cultivate impatience, not more utility. Most Cubs don't use or want CS props while that's a standard item on a Husky. My new Cub project will use a constant speed prop but a reversing one isn't important. To each their own I guess. :-)
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Well, I know we'll all agree that the reality is sailing works just fine, and the fact that we don't see this installed all over the place goes to show the utility doesn't outweigh the cost. Plus, the satisfaction of a perfect dock with the prop off is tough to beat.

But this system is still cool...if I had powerball $$ I'd do it. :D :yes: I'd honestly never seen it on a piston like this before. Plus the sound of those MT props...!
 
About 10 years ago a very nice Murphy Moose craseh on approach to Merrill Field in Anchorage. The crash was caused my an MT reversing prop going into beta thrust while on final. It destroyed the plane and fortunately both occupants survived. Uncommanded beta on final. Yikes!
 
A friend's SeaBee does that. Really cool airplane. Can't wait to get him suckered into going fishing.
 
Stewartb said:
About 10 years ago a very nice Murphy Moose craseh on approach to Merrill Field in Anchorage. The crash was caused my an MT reversing prop going into beta thrust while on final. It destroyed the plane and fortunately both occupants survived. Uncommanded beta on final. Yikes!
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:yikes: :yikes:
 
3 in the green said:
This is so cool... :rofl: :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOBxQtF337Q

The MT website doesn't have a whole lot of info on it. I'm curious how this works from an operations perspective...anyone have experience with this system (or any other piston reverse system)?
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I flew with them on a twin amphib and it made it very maneuverable on the water for docking, but because of overheating issues it could only be used for limited periods of time.
 
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Took this video of a Convair 440 that visited BGF and pulled straight into (then out of) the fuel farm.
 
James331 said:
No, but I like the idea, especially for some seaplane ops, I've enjoyed reverse in the turbines I've flown, especially TPEs.

Frankly though I can only imagine what that MT system costs.
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I priced a reversing MT and a standard one for my V-8 experimental..

Std one was right around 14,000

Reversing one was 18,500..
 
I watched a guy land his Caravan at Reklaw then back into his camping spot.

Cool stuff.
 
On the blimps I flew, we had reverse. It was great fun in flight and for landing. The bigger airship used Lycoming IO-360's with a 5 blade MT prop. It was super quiet and could slow you down like nobodies business.
 
txflyer said:
That would be great but maybe a little tricky.

Reverse rudder inputs?

To go left you'd need right rudder, or is it left rudder? wait ... oops .. :yikes:
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Rudder probably wouldn't be effective. You'd need a cyclic prop governor that would let you generate differential thrust (fore/aft) on opposite sides of the prop arc.

I could probably build that for only $50,000-60,000 per copy. Just think how cool your plane would be then! ;) :D
 
So how much cooling does that engine get while he backs up to his hangar? Slight uphill so he was definitely above idle. Do that enough times and the engine wont last long.
 
I've seen Seabees and the like with reverse but I'm pretty sure the book says not to do so in the air.
 
Seabees have reverse but more common is to put the prop in zero thrust and inch it in to the dock. Great for that $100 hamburger to back it into a parking spot lot's of people turn their heads to see that. The Franklin engine on the Seabee has it's own cooling fan on the front so cooling is not a problem. The twin Seabee does not have reverse props but you can still back it up with the engines.
 
brien23 said:
. The Franklin engine on the Seabee has it's own cooling fan on the front so cooling is not a problem.
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Since it's a pusher anyhow, probably cools better in reverse.
I'm pretty sure the one I saw had the gopher engine anyhow.
 
brien23 said:
Franklin B-9F
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The local SeaBee owner was talking about a corvette engine upgrade. Includes ac and water cooling for water ops.

I really hate to say it, but that is one really cool aircraft.
 
txflyer said:
I watched a guy land his Caravan at Reklaw then back into his camping spot.

Cool stuff.
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The van I used to fly would get hot fueled all the time, every once in a while some nit wit would park his bug smasher right smack dab infront of the van while he took his sweet time fueling, we would complete pumping over 120G into the plane while these soft shoed weekend warriors were not even to the point of getting their gas caps off .

Well since I couldn't squeeze by them and since the boss man wouldn't be cool with me burning jet a waiting for this twit to get done, I used to just mouth "I'm sorry" as I put the van into reverse, Id see their ailerons, rudders and silly hats flapping all over, giving me the two finger salute as I backed up.

One of those things, I felt kinda bad and kinda good about it all in the same instance.
 
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