Piper Aircraft and Hartzell Propeller are working together on approval for a five-blade composite propeller for the Piper Meridian and M500 through a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC). Achievement of the STC for both Piper airplanes is anticipated by the end of fourth quarter this year.
“The Hartzell Propeller five-bladed prop was designed to enhance flight performance,” said Piper Vice President of Sales and Marketing Drew McEwen. “This composite prop will help increase climb rate and decrease noise, with the added benefit of elevating ramp aesthetics. It is a win, win, win for our products,” he added.
The Hartzell five-blade composite propeller will be on current production Piper M500 products and will be offered as a factory installed option once certified. Piper Meridians already in the field can take advantage of this advancement through the STC, company officials noted.
The new Hartzell Propeller blades will be certified for unlimited life and are five to 10 times stronger than wood core blades. They feature a stainless steel shank, nickel cobalt leading edge, and mesh erosion screen for FOD protection. Hartzell’s latest Piper 5-blade design is 15 pounds lighter than the current factory installed propeller and 10 pounds lighter than similar wood core propellers.
As an engineer and pilot of 50 years, I am shocked and saddened to see “ramp aesthetics” being allowed to play into the the design of a flight component upon which our lives depend.
Does Hartzell have plans to incorporate a thickened titanium leading edge like was done on the GE90 fan blades to protect the composite blades from FOD?
Mike Teets