Originally Posted by
piperboy84
Anyone want to take a stab atthe pro's and cons of a 2 blade over 3 on the same model aircraft
Typically on a small aircraft 2-blade prop is better for higher cruise speed, 3-blade for better climb.
These are some observations from an owner of Piper Arrow:
I recently fitted a new three blade to my Arrow. I'm still in two minds about it but some observations so far are:
Smoother operation and less vibration at all power settings
Less cockpit noise
Better initial climb performance (around 1200fpm at mtow) up to about 3000 feet after which it drops off significantly
Much better go-around climb rate
Marginally better ground performance - around 5% shorter take off roll
About a 6% LOSS in overall cruise performance which does seem to increase with altitude, although at max continuous power in straight and level it's actually a few knots faster
Only limitation is to avoid continuous operation below 1950 RPM and less than 15" MAP
Slightly more fuel efficient, although I can't figure out why
Slightly cooler engine operation probably due increased cooling airflow through the cowling
Added drag of the extra blade helps when trying to slow down - steeper approaches and quicker deceleration are very noticeable
No change in glide performance - Arrows glide like man-hole covers with rough edges anyway
The only thing I'm not entirely happy about is the reduced cruise performance, but hopefully with a repaint and speed kit fitted, I might get a bit back.
Let me know if there's any specific questions you have