Topic: New propeller

[ACL]

Yesterday I put a new 'proper pitch' Hoffman prop on G-HDAE to replace the old fine-pitch job. I took it up this morning for a 'test flight'. What a transformation! More that 10kts improvement in the cruise (but only half the rate of climb), quieter, smoother, and gone is that feeling of continuously driving around in first gear. And aerobatics at last! Excellent views of the Cotswolds above as the countryside rolled around us.

Mind, it was a bit breezy up there. Hand-held GPS read 130kts in one direction and 50 in the other in the cruise. So I throttled back and got 19kts ground speed on the GPS. Bit embarrassing being overtaken by cyclists on the ground below! On landing (a wheeler) the tail stayed up until barely walking speed before dropping back on the runway.

G-HDAE is available for taildragger and aeros training at Enstone Fying Club, if anybody is interested.

All the best,
James

[Chippydriver]

Can't beat 19 knots, but saw 45 kts groundspeed today between Hexham and Carlisle, grubbing along at 800 feet. Ugh.

[yakxx]

Hello..
Would you or anybody else please advise what the Torque settings should be on that Hoffman prop...for the eight bolts and should they have  2  shrink washers or three on a wooden prop..

Thank you

[john henderson]

don't know on wooden Hoffman props, but suggest you contact De Havilland

[Bob]

Ring this lot, they are the UK agents.( this info is from the moth club site)

Skycraft Services Ltd.,
(Michael Barnett or Andrew Butcher)
Albany House,
12 Silver Street,
Litlington,
Hertfordshire SG8 0QE,
England.
Tel: +44 1763 852150
Fax: +44 1763 852593
Email: michael.barnett@btconnect.com
Site: (under construction)
(Please note: Skycraft Services Ltd trades as “Skycraft”, but it is a completely different business from the “Skycraft Ltd” listed in other sections of this Register.
“Skycraft” specialises in propeller supply and maintenance for vintage and collection aircraft, and has considerable experience with fixed pitch propellers for all the Gipsy Major engine variants.  Over the years it has developed and certified a range of fixed pitch propellers for de Havilland aircraft, much used on the Tiger Moth and Chipmunk but also on the Dragon, Hornet and Leopard.
Skycraft has close links with Dowty Propellers and with Hoffmann Propeller in Germany, for whom it is the UK Service Station and Distributor. The Hoffmann propeller is made of ash and has an integral brass leading edge guard, a trailing edge strengthened for hand swinging and an epoxy resin finish.