Flat pitch or feather???

[SIG600]

Just to elaborate on what 'sled said.. this is done because

Pt-6's are a free air turbine, not directly connected to the engine. Thus starting in a feathered pitch does not affect the engine.

You can not start a Garret (or something similar) in a feathered pitch, because it's a direct drive set up, it will increase the load on the starter and everything else as the engine tries to spool up.


And most piston twins I've flown are held in a flat pitch by oil pressure, and while they may not self feather, they will go to a higher pitch with a loss of oil and towards a feathered position.

 

[bafanguy]

This all just proves that those whirling metal things in front of the engine are just too much trouble and should be avoided...unless driven by an R2800, in which case, the sound is worth the complication.

 

[Lead Sled]

This all just proves that those whirling metal things in front of the engine are just too much trouble and should be avoided...unless driven by an R2800, in which case, the sound is worth the complication.

Man you've got that right. Propellors are for boats.

'Sled

 

[BD King]

Now then, If ya really want to look cool, here is what you do, at least in my case. After flying the King Air for the past 3 or 4 weeks, and jump into the C-340, you pull up on the ramp and at shut down feather both props. Cool.

www.bdkingpress.com

 

[jaywc7]

Coooooooooool! I gotta try that!

I don't have much to back up what I know about this topic, other then to say that I've done quite a bit of reading, and know a little about Duchess props.

Anyways - with each post I read, something popped into my head that I wanted to say. Then as I read on, I found that the next consecutive post included exactly what I was thinking! This went on and on and on, and I finally figured by the end that there was nothing much else to say! It encompassed everything I've come to know, or claim to know anyways.

As far as the feathring of the 340 props though! That's just hilarious!!!

 

[Lead Sled]

Now then, If ya really want to look cool, here is what you do, at least in my case. After flying the King Air for the past 3 or 4 weeks, and jump into the C-340, you pull up on the ramp and at shut down feather both props. Cool.

Funny stuff, but it's actually not a bad idea. The C-340 isn't your typical MEL trainer and other than during runups, its props are seldom feathered. Even then, you're just checking for a drop in RPM and you really don't know if the props are actually going into feather. I've flown a couple of cabin-class twins that were misrigged and during the annual were found to have a propellor that wouldn't feather - not a good thing given the pathetic single-engine performance capabilities of piston twins.

Yup, it's problably a good idea not to take something that your life's going to depend on for granted. Check it all the way to feather once in a while. Your mechanic can walk you through the procedure.

'Sled

 

[jaywc7]

Funny stuff, but it's actually not a bad idea. The C-340 isn't your typical MEL trainer and other than during runups, its props are seldom feathered.

So - I'm curious now... You are saying that the C-340 is different, in that it can be fully feathered at shutdown if desired? Or am I confused about what was wrote? That would still be hard on the engine to start up with them feathered wouldn't it???

Check it all the way to feather once in a while.

YEAH!!! I always feather each of my props individually, and then both together on my runup... Isn't that common practice???

 

[bigD]

So - I'm curious now... You are saying that the C-340 is different, in that it can be fully feathered at shutdown if desired? Or am I confused about what was wrote?

I think what Lead Slead is saying is that since the 340 isn't typically used as a trainer, the props are rarely fully feathered - unlike a plane such as a Seminole where the props are feathered for practice quite often.

 

[BD King]

So - I'm curious now... You are saying that the C-340 is different, in that it can be fully feathered at shutdown if desired? Or am I confused about what was wrote? That would still be hard on the engine to start up with them feathered wouldn't it???



YEAH!!! I always feather each of my props individually, and then both together on my runup... Isn't that common practice???

It is sop to pull the props into feather at shutdown on a KingAir, unless its a B100. Out of habit, I grabbed the wrong set of levers. The engines will jump and shake a little on the start.

 

[jaywc7]

I think what Lead Slead is saying is that since the 340 isn't typically used as a trainer, the props are rarely fully feathered - unlike a plane such as a Seminole where the props are feathered for practice quite often.

Ok. I understand. You are refering to feathering in flight for simulated engine failures and such. I see i see...

Out of habit, I grabbed the wrong set of levers. The engines will jump and shake a little on the start.

Funny!