Quicksand Fans

No, not that kind


Some cruise video from the most popular bird on the boat, the COD

They bring the mail....

What's with the crazy propellers? More power at slower speeds?

Think it's those fancy high-efficency ones you see now on most turboprop aircraft, the Dash-8-400 has had them a while I've noticed, but that was the first time I've ever seen them on a COD. The Hawkeye and Herc have them now too

I think the issue has always been more blades = more thrust per revolution but more power required to turn the heavier prop. Maybe the weird curvy thing makes them stronger but lighter and negates that.

Yeah, more blades = more lift = more efficiency, assuming you have the engine power to turn it. You also have to take into account that, the more props you have, the heavier and more complex your prop control system is. The blades are swept for the same reason you sweep the leading edge of a wing; to improve high-speed performance by reducing drag as the prop tip speed approaches Mach 1.

The prime limiting factor has always been materials. With composite propeller blades, you get the same or greater strength for considerably less weight.

Didn't the Russians refit their Bears with those also?

kham wrote:Think it's those fancy high-efficency ones you see now on most turboprop aircraft, the Dash-8-400 has had them a while I've noticed, but that was the first time I've ever seen them on a COD. The Hawkeye and Herc have them now too

nachtjaeger wrote:Didn't the Russians refit their Bears with those also?

Not that I've ever heard of. Doing it with those gigantic counter-rotating props would probably be challenging. There's a one-of-a-kind gearbox built for a one-of-a-kind job.