Backcountry Pilot

[qmdv offline]

I understand they named it after on of our contributers. I would like here from folks that have used the MT and why they bought it. Go faster, betterclimb, less fuel burn. What?

Tim

[GumpAir offline]

What the f**k is a Popeller?

Gump

[qmdv offline]

Up yours gump. You are sounding like MTV.

By the way Gump, I decided to go green and got my 1990 Chev Astro Van running again. It only has 328,000 miles on it. Should make a good airport crummy for when you fly over to see your mom.

Tim

[GumpAir offline]

Good! Too far for me to walk. Will that thing make it to Yreka and back? Gonna be your way about March 18th.

Gump

[58Skylane offline]

Hadn't you figured out how to edit the title of this post yet??? Damn!!



You looking to replace your "Popeller" , Tim?? I might be in the market for one, too .

[qmdv offline]

I will stay with Popeller. Your danged lucky to get two L's. And as far as the Astro goes, if the plane is down, I will be at Austin with it in August.

Tim

[River rat offline]

well I will refrain from comenting on your spelling ( Im not one to talk) but as far as the MT pop (sorry couldent resist) goes, I put one on my 170B -0-360 when I did the engine conversion, to be fair I never flew it with a hartzell. I bought the MT because it is 25lbs lighter than the hartzell for my plane and makes a lot more thrust ,plus larry and john at flight resorce went out of there way to get me the best prop for my plane I highly recomend them.
It is verry diferent to fly, it makes your alerons more effective ( less gyroscopic efect) it stop's instantly when you pull the mixture because it is so light. and the biggest difference is when you pull the power back it is like pushing a wall! A huge advantage once you get used to it, in the event of an engine failure pull the prop full corse! otherwise look for a place to land real close ! once you select full course it glides like a sailplane.
25lbs ,as far forward as posible, is a huge advantage to.

[flynbeekeeper offline]

Doesn't "full coarse" require oil pressure?

[mtv offline]

If it's still turning, it's still turning the oil pump....

MTV

[dirtstrip offline]

I have heard nothing but good about the MT's performance and know very little about them. Two other things I have heard is that they are more expensive to recondition since an MT needs to go back to Germany because no one works on them in the US and because of this the rebuild costs close to the purchase price. The other thing "I heard" is that the core of the prop is not composite but wood. I stand corrected in advance on both these points by someone with an actual experience that knows it to be otherwise. Are these things true?

[mtv offline]

The MT prop is a true composite propeller, in that it has a laminated wood core, covered with a kevlar composite sheath, and the leading edge is stainless steel. This offers the best of all worlds, when it comes to a propeller: Light weight, smoothness and balance, and virtually no leading edge maintenance, due to the tough leading edge.

My engine is a shaker, like most O-360s are. I had a Hartzell 80 inch on the plane, which requires a harmonic damper assy. Even though the prop/engine was dynamically balanced, with some frequency, my artificial horizon would take on a 5 degree list and stay that way, due to vibration.

I put the MTV 15 prop on, and voila--no more list in the AH, and that engine/prop are buttery smooth. Incredible difference in the feel of that setup. And, that is pretty important in an old airframe, where you're constantly chasing cracks, loose rivets, etc. It's also important in a NEW airframe, like the Husky, where hundreds of sheet metal screws and lightweight aluminum skins lead to vibration cracks as well. The MT is simply the smoothest thing on the block.

I went this way largely because I've had really good luck with MT props on other airplanes that I worked, the weight savings, and the fact that Hartzell condemned the hub on my Hartzell props TWICE with AD notes. If I can avoid owning a Hartzell prop in future, I will. If you think overhauling an MT is expensive, try owning a Hartzell that just got hit with one of their killer AD's. I figured on the order of $5500 minimum to fix that. And, it was the second time I got hit with one of those in 17 or 18 years.

MT does work on their props in this country in Florida. Not sure what all they do there, but I believe they replace the leading edge strips there, and that's about all the maintenance and overhaul short of replacement that you can do on blades. The hubs, I have to believe really aren't anything extra special either, and it would be pretty easy to ship a hub to Germany if need be. I don't have any direct information on overhaul costs, but I doubt it's much worse than any other prop.

MTV

[gbflyer offline]

I do believe the core is laminated beech wood.

I have no idea about the cost of reconditioning. I'm fairly certain that there are certified repair stations for them in the US now. Don't know if they can rebuild them, though.

I would really like to have one. I am still scared of rock damage, though. Yes, folks preach technique blaa blaa blaa, but it still happens.

In comparison to a 3 blade 401 McCauley, there is not a lot of price difference, maybe $1500 bucks...very small in airplane dollars. On the other hand, a 3 blade Hartzell is about $3K less, but who wants to buy one from those jerks.

gb

[dirtstrip offline]

mtv,
Thanks for the info from someone who runs one.
Sometimes the latest developments and trends are slow to reach the Dakotas. On the upside, when the end of the world comes we will still have a couple more days to get ready.

[Zzz]

mtv,
Thanks for the info from someone who runs one.
Sometimes the latest developments and trends are slow to reach the Dakotas. On the upside, when the end of the world comes we will still have a couple more days to get ready.

Haha. Wait, don't you guys have most of the missile silos?

[mr scout offline]

Had one on the RV smooth as silk, it doesn't like gravel, run them just a bit over speed they may loose a piece on the end. I think there is a Scout owner in Idaho that lost tips twice. I just bought a new 3 blade hartzell, I can file the blades and any shop can fix it.
Funny MTV didn't quit flying the Cessna because of ADs
If you can deal with weeks or months of agony while you get it worked on you will get along just fine.

[qmdv offline]

Just got a quote for a two blade from http://www.precisionpropellerservice.com/. 5.7 K for a McCauly and about 5K more for the MT. I am not on a goverment pension so the MT is out.

Tim

[mtv offline]

For those concerned about running composite propellers and rock damage, consider that the Beech 1900 Airliners often run composite propellers. Note that those props are being driven by some really powerful engines, and aren't that far from the ground, either. One of the air services in Fairbanks ran those airplanes on and off gravel runways, and the chief of maintenance there told me he has almost no propeller issues. The metal leading edges take most of the damage, and they are designed for that. The chips, etc that occur to the face of the blades are fixed with a little epoxy, and good to go.

Tim, government pensions have nothing to do with my choice. No McCauley props approved for my airplane. Is that a NEW McCauley three blade??? That sounds pretty cheap.

MTV

[dirtstrip offline]

Zane,
That's right we do have the Minute Man Silos. Generally speaking, they are aimed somewhere else. The National Park Service gives top secret tours daily of decommissioned ones. The Minute Man Motto: We deliver anywhere in the world within minutes or the next one is free.

[qmdv offline]

That quote was for two bladed props. The guy at precision was real helpfull. The MT has a stainless leading edge and it is replacable at their prop shop. Not sure if they overhaaul the hubs at thier shop. And I agree with you on the Hartzell. I would not have one cuzz of the AD's on the other models. Who is next.

Tim

[mr scout offline]

That quote was for two bladed props. The guy at precision was real helpfull. The MT has a stainless leading edge and it is replacable at their prop shop. Not sure if they overhaaul the hubs at thier shop. And I agree with you on the Hartzell. I would not have one cuzz of the AD's on the other models. Who is next.

Tim

Tim

With that logic you my as well sell the 182 it had more ADs than Hartzell, And when the hub AD came out only the slow kids didn't get a deal on the hub. I just got a discount and my prop hub was 10 years old. Twice in 17-18 years says MTV lets see they should all be overhauled within 7 years.... But $5500 or $15,000 for an 3 blade MT

Black Mac