SUNGA, Katrix B.

AE 412-3

Mastery Check #1

How does a propeller produce thrust?

An engine propeller is made up of two or more blades that are joined together by a
central hub, which is responsible for attaching the blades to the engine shaft. The primary
function of the propeller is to offer a form of propulsion that allows the aircraft to move
forward through the air as it takes off. The propeller operates by displacing the air and
drawing it behind itself; this motion of air results in the airplane being pushed forward as a
result of the pressure differential created by the propeller. When the propeller is driven, the
horsepower of the engine will convert into thrust by accelerating air and producing a
low-pressure difference ahead of the propeller. Because air naturally travels from high to low
pressure, when the prop is spinning, the aircraft will be pulled forward in the direction of the
rotating prop.
SUNGA, Katrix B.
AE 412-3

Mastery Check #2

Identify the methods used in checking tracking of propeller blades.

Blade tracking is the process of establishing the positions of the tips of the propeller
blades with respect to each other. Tracking does not reveal their actual path, but rather only
their relative location to one another in relation to one another. Aim for tracking that is as
close to perfect as possible between the blades of the saw.

Ideally, the tips of the propeller blades should be nearly aligned with one another in
the same plane of rotation. On the other hand, the blades will not track in the same
rotational plane with the other blades if one of them has been bumped, bent, or damaged in
any other way. A bent propeller blade may be the result of propeller mishandling, such as
when the airplane is moved by pulling or pushing on the propeller. It could also add extra
vibration and stress to the airframe and engine. Inaccurate track could cause propeller
failure before end of its service life.

In order to determine when the propeller is out of track, the following steps are
normally done:

1. To begin, secure the aircraft so that it cannot be moved. Employ safe operating
procedures, such as turning off switches and grounding magnetos, to prevent the
aircraft engine from starting while you whirl the propeller.

2. Next, unscrew one spark plug from each cylinder. This will make turning the
prop easier and safer.

3. Rotate one of the blades so that it is pointed downward.

4. Beneath the blade's tip, place a solid item like a heavy wooden block then
mark the blade's route on the wood using a pencil.

5. Maintain the wood block in place and slowly rotate the propeller to determine if
the next blade "tracks" or aligns with the previous blade's mark on the block. The
variation in blade track should not exceed the manufacturer's specification. *Note:
The specified difference is usually about 1/16 of an inch, plus or minus.

6. If the propeller blade is out of alignment, it is possible that it has been bent or
broken. It is best to have the problem addressed immediately by an authorized
propeller shop.
SUNGA, Katrix B.
AE 412-3

Mastery Check #3

Find the slip of a propeller having an efficiency of 85% if the effective pitch in one revolution
is 61.2 inches.
SUNGA, Katrix B.
AE 412-3

Review Questions
IDENTIFICATION. Answer the following questions.

1. It is a propeller force that tends to throw the rotating propeller blades away from the
hub. CENTRIFUGAL FORCE

2. It tends to bend the propeller blades in the direction opposite that of rotation. TORQUE
BENDING FORCE

3. It tends to bend propeller blades forward as the aircraft is pulled through the air.
THRUST BENDING FORCE

4. It tends to turn the blades to a high blade angle. AERODYNAMIC TWISTING FORCE

5. It tends to force the blades toward a low blade angle. CENTRIFUGAL TWISTING
FORCE

6. It is an aerodynamic phenomenon experienced by a moving propeller, where the

7. As the propeller revolves around the crankshaft, the prop blade velocity at the tip is
________ and at the root is _______. FASTEST, SLOWEST

8. It is necessary for a propeller in order for it to maintain a more or less constant angle
of attack along the length of the blade because the blade speed is much higher at the tip
than it is at the root. PROPELLER TWIST

9. It is the process of determining the positions of the tips of the propeller blades relative
to each other (blades rotating in the same plane of rotation). BLADE TRACKING

10. It is the theoretical distance a propeller advances longitudinally in one revolution.

Mastery Check #4

What is the efficiency of a 10 ft, fixed pitch propeller, with a 30-degree blade angle at 0.75R,
and performance as given in the figure 2.25, when rotating at 1,950 rpm, the airplane having
an airspeed of 150 knots at sea level?
SUNGA, Katrix B.
AE 412-3

References
Hartzell Propeller Inc. (2019). Propeller Maintenance Tips: How to Check Propeller Blade
Tracking. Retrieved from [Link]
How A Propeller Generates Thrust. (2019). Boldmethod. Retrieved from
[Link]
thrust-as-it-turns/
Propeller Vibration. (n.d.). Flight Mechanic. Retrieved from
[Link]
0the%20process,another%20as%20closely%20as%20possible.
Southern Wings. (2020). Aircraft Propeller Basics. Retrieved from
[Link]