Flat pitch or feather???

[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!

 

[bigD]

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

Yep. Since the props on most 340's rarely get actually feathered, it might be a good idea to fully feather the things just to make sure it'll do it when you truly need it.

 

[Lead Sled]

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.

Yup, that what I was talking about. In training twins, you're always feathering the props in-flight - it part of the training program. In the "real world" you seldom feather the props on piston-twins like C-340s, Navajos, C-414s, C-421s, etc. because their engines seldom fail. However, like I said, the single-engine performance of ANY piston-powered, light twin is ABYSMAL and the failure for a propellor to feather would most likely leave the pilot and his passengers in a very serious situation. Remember, piston-twins have two engines because they need two engines and only under certain carefully controlled conditions can the maintain controlled flight on one engine.

'Sled

 

[BD King]

JAYWC7--------It appears that you are working on your multi engine rating. I would seriously suggest adding one additional item to your checklist. Put it at the bottom and read it out loud just before standing the throttles up. For some reason the manufacturers never included this very important item, and it is this. As you line up and look down that long lonesome runway just say "Dear God, let both of these mothers run for the next two minutes."

 

[Lead Sled]

"Dear God, let both of these mothers run for the next two minutes."

Amen

'Sled