All this love for the MT props lately, glad to see it. I've heard nothing but good stuff about them.

What about the other players in the experimental market? Whirlwind? Catto? I am looking at building around the O-360 or O-390 platform and want a composite prop. Whirlwind has some nice looking constant speed offerings, especially their "STOL" props: http://www.whirlwindaviation.com/props/ ... series.asp that can be had for less than $10k.

Any thoughts on the swept blade design?

No sure if Catto makes hubs or not, their website isn't as complete.

Question 2: Can one equip their build with a fixed pitch prop, then change to a constant speed prop later, given that their engine has the right crank and flange? I see guys like Mauleguy running fixed pitch long props on their planes for light weight and performance, but I don't think he is going anywhere fast. IN all likelihood I will just equip with CS straight away, but I am curious if this is an option.

Thanks.
SF

Crap, $10,000 will spin my cheapo Sterba prop for a long time.

last I remember, Catto doesn't make hubs. But I will back Craig Catto up. He makes a great prop, and if there is a problem, he takes care of it. I mostly worked with him when I was at CC, but have kept in touch a little. Whirlwind also makes a good product, but I can't speak for customer service there, not enough dealings with them. I have flown both companies props on a few different engines, in Cubs, and I like Catto props the best. I know whirlwind has some new options and I wish I could get the chance to try them on to see how they are doing. I hear good reports from testing and a few customers though. I don't think you can go wrong with either. Get the right one for your budget and mission, and you'll be happy.

For your other question, it really depends on what you're doing it on...Certified or Experimental...

I agree
Catto rocks

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

I was looking at Whirlwind, shame they dont go bigger with prop length.
Interesting teardown inspection regime on their props too, the "best pulling prop" takes a pretty big step back from the rest.

Any idea what a set of Catto blades costs, the prices on his front page look too low, and who's hubs do they use? Hartzell...? I assume they do CS if they've worked with IO-540's before...

Battson wrote:I was looking at Whirlwind, shame they dont go bigger with prop length.

Jon, what length are you interested in for your 540?

They say 84" gets you the best from a 540 Bearhawk running a two blade CS prop. So that's where I'm looking to end up.
I think Whirlwind go to about 80"?

I know this is an older thread, but I have a question. The link to whirlwind aviation from the OP. How are these props different from whirlwind propellers. Price seems to be mostly it as a 78" geound adjustable from ww props can be had for $2950and weighs in at 18lbs, where as a 77" from ww aviation is $6995 and is 45lbs. It looks easier to set the pitch on the ww aviation one, but for 25lbs and $4000 I'll gladly take an extra 5 minutes.
David

They are different companies from what I can see:

One makes 78" props for O-320 / -360, limited to 180hp. They designed a small-ish hub for it, ground adjustable by loosening all the bolts in a fairly agricultural way. They seem to be targetted at the smaller engine market.

The other makes a range of props from O-320 up to -540's (if you wanted to, I asked, website says -390) - they can accept upto 265hp, and therefore are using a McCauley hub or their own copy, which is much stronger and more heavily built. They are designed to be adjusted quickly and easily. This outfit also makes a range of constant speed props for larger more powerful aircraft, upto 325hp.

Hope that synopsis helps!

Thanks battson. That does help. So for a smaller engine, like an O-320, done one have a big advantage over the other? Besides the quicker adjustability?

I guess that depends what your mission is?
If you want to adjust just once a year for that big x-country to Osh / Idaho, probably not a lot of point in paying for a fancy variable pitch mechanism you never use? But if you want to change it every few flights....? I can't really be much more help than that.

The STOL blades from Whirlwind (linked at the top) certainly seem like bigger meatier paddles, and seem to get really good reviews. I haven't been in touch with the other company.

We are thinking seriously about replacing our bog-standard 82" Mac blades with Whirlwind's 82" STOL offering, but given the Mac blades are brand new... It's a hard one to swallow.

Ya. I don't think I'd adjust them enough to justify the extra weight or cost.
I have heatd good things about both. Was just wondering if the strength of one is much less then the other? Has anyone tried the hollow blades?

Bump

Lots have changed in the past couple years.

It's amazing how you can talk with 50 people and get 50 opinions that are all different.

I am very close in needing to decide the best engine, best prop for my mission. One dad I think I have it solved and the next I'm back to square one undecided again.

I was leaning toward fixed for the weight savings but here flying at 9000' density altitude everyday I'm leaning toward the constant speed but then comes the weight...this morning I'm back to fixed. Damn I just don't know.

I was also really leaning toward the R motors but with so much shake up in the company I just don't know...but that's another thread...

AKT

Aktahoe1 wrote:

One day I think I have it solved and the next I'm back to square one undecided again.

How true...how true... for so many things. This sentence really struck home for me, whether buying a headset or contemplating a whole airplane kit. I suppose there is a fine line between careful review and paralysis by analysis; I just have a problem easily recognizing it.

Catto sucks.

He shipped my prop in laughable packaging and it was of course damaged. Then he gave me the run around for 5 weeks on whether or not I was getting a new replacement or if he was going to repair it. Those were 5 weeks at the beginning of the acro season when I needed it. In the end he did give me a refund but no apology. Also, I was never able to talk to him unless I threatened to cancel my order with the office dingbats then he was magically available.

Frank over at http://www.performancepropellersusa.com/ was the exact opposite. He spent 45 minutes talking to me about what I wanted before I even placed an order. The prop was a little too much pitch for my engine and he's going to repitch it for free. Stand up guy and beautiful work.

Dan

I have always heard good from catto. Shipped a friend a prop, didn't work worth a crap, Craig went out and pulled one of his pa-12 and shipped it, told my friend to try that for awhile and see how he likes it.

Ace007 wrote:Catto sucks.

He shipped my prop in laughable packaging and it was of course damaged. Then he gave me the run around for 5 weeks on whether or not I was getting a new replacement or if he was going to repair it. Those were 5 weeks at the beginning of the acro season when I needed it. In the end he did give me a refund but no apology. Also, I was never able to talk to him unless I threatened to cancel my order with the office dingbats then he was magically available.

Frank over at http://www.performancepropellersusa.com/ was the exact opposite. He spent 45 minutes talking to me about what I wanted before I even placed an order. The prop was a little too much pitch for my engine and he's going to repitch it for free. Stand up guy and beautiful work.

Dan

You are the first person in the history of aviation that I have heard does not like Catto...

Interesting however for certain. I have always heard great things about Craig.

Im familiar with Performance but the Catto and Whirlwind out pull it in thrust from what I continue to be told.

Lots to ponder on.

AKT

Weight is your enemy. What I have noticed with all of the "buy my product you will loose five lbs over the stock" the numbers are very liberal.

aktahoe1 wrote:
You are the first person in the history of aviation that I have heard does not like Catto...

Interesting however for certain. I have always heard great things about Craig.

Im familiar with Performance but the Catto and Whirlwind out pull it in thrust from what I continue to be told.

Lots to ponder on.

AKT

Yea I know but I have the shipping receipts, photos, and call logs to prove all my accusations. There were no apologies and no "this is how we're going to fix this". Instead I got the "we ship hundreds of props and you're the first one that was damaged" bullshiite. My neighbor got a Catto and was dismayed by the packaging.

I'd like to see the data AND the measurement methodology for the "Catto out pulls Performance" claims. It's not easy and unless they used a data acquisition system and normalized the days I'd have call BS..... (no disrespect to you).