Hartzell and Raisbeck have secured the launch customer for their latest composite five-blade swept propeller for the Beech King Air 200 series.
Hartzell received type certification for the new propeller on 18 October, and Raisbeck’s director of sales, David Silvester (below) says the papers for the supplementary type certificate have been submitted, with approvals expected within a month.
BillyPix
“There has been a great response here,” Silvester says. “We have signed up the launch customer and hope to install by the end of the year.”
Significantly quieter than previous designs with a 30% noise reduction throughout the aircraft, the new propellers are constructed of structural carbonfibre composite with nickel cobalt leading edges, to protect against foreign object damage. Optimised airfoil efficiency also allows for a larger 243m (96in) diameter propeller, with less blade tip noise.
This gives King Air operators an average of 21.7kg (48lb) total weight savings compared with OEM installed propellers and a 16.5% performance in runway acceleration. The propeller is 48% better in prop reverse and offers an 25.8% improvement in engine-out climb scenarios with flaps up.
The propeller also has unlimited blade life, thereby lowering maintenance and overhaul costs.
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