Table Of Content17
Module a
FOR LEVEL B-1 CERTIFICATION
PROPELLER
Aviation Maintenance Technician
Certification Series
– Fundamentals
–Propeller Construction
– Propeller Pitch Control
– Propeller Synchronizing
– Propeller Ice Protection
– Propeller Maintenance
– Propeller Storage and Preservation
Eng. M. Rasool
MODULE 17A
FOR B1 LEVEL CERTIFICATION
PROPELLER
Aviation Maintenance Technician
Certification Series
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Eng. M. Rasool
AVAILABLE IN
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AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION SERIES
Principal Author: Charles L. Rodriguez
Layout & Design: Shellie L. Hall
Copyright © 2016 — Aircraft Technical Book Company. All Rights Reserved.
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written permission of the publisher.
To order books or for Customer Service, please call +1 970 726-5111.
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Printed in the United States of America
Eng. M. Rasool
WELCOME
The publishers of this Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification Series welcome you to the world of
aviation maintenance. As you move towards EASA certification, you are required to gain suitable knowledge and
experience in your chosen area. Qualification on basic subjects for each aircraft maintenance license category or
subcategory is accomplished in accordance with the following matrix. Where applicable, subjects are indicated by
an "X" in the column below the license heading.
For other educational tools created to prepare candidates for licensure, contact Aircraft Technical Book Company.
We wish you good luck and success in your studies and in your aviation career!
EASA LICENSE CATEGORY CHART
A1 B1.1 B1.2 B1.3
B2
Module number and title Airplane Airplane Airplane Helicopter Avionics
Turbine Turbine Piston Turbine
1 Mathematics X X X X X
2 Physics X X X X X
3 Electrical Fundamentals X X X X X
4 Electronic Fundamentals X X X X
5 Digital Techniques / Electronic Instrument Systems X X X X X
6 Materials and Hardware X X X X X
7A Maintenance Practices X X X X X
8 Basic Aerodynamics X X X X X
9A Human Factors X X X X X
10 Aviation Legislation X X X X X
11A Turbine Aeroplane Aerodynamics, Structures and Systems X X
11B Piston Aeroplane Aerodynamics, Structures and Systems X
12 Helicopter Aerodynamics, Structures and Systems X
13 Aircraft Aerodynamics, Structures and Systems X
14 Propulsion X
15 Gas Turbine Engine X X X
16 Piston Engine X
17A Propeller X X X
iii
Eng. M. Rasool
FORWARD
PART-66 and the Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) of the European Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA) Regulation (EC) No. 1321/2014, Appendix 1 to the Implementing Rules establishes the
Basic Knowledge Requirements for those seeking an aircraft maintenance license. The information in this Module
of the Aviation Maintenance Technical Certification Series published by the Aircraft Technical Book Company
meets or exceeds the breadth and depth of knowledge subject matter referenced in Appendix 1 of the Implementing
Rules. However, the order of the material presented is at the discretion of the editor in an effort to convey the
required knowledge in the most sequential and comprehensible manner. Knowledge levels required for Category A,
B1, B2, and B3 aircraft maintenance licenses remain unchanged from those listed in Appendix 1 Basic Knowledge
Requirements. Tables from Appendix 1 Basic Knowledge Requirements are reproduced at the beginning of each
module in the series and again at the beginning of each Sub-Module.
How numbers are written in this book:
This book uses the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard of writing numbers. This methods
displays large numbers by adding a space between each group of 3 digits. This is opposed to the American method which
uses commas and the European method which uses periods. For example, the number one million is expressed as so:
ICAO Standard 1 000 000
European Standard 1.000.000
American Standard 1 000,000
SI Units:
The International System of Units (SI) developed and maintained by the General Conference of Weights and
Measures (CGPM) shall be used as the standard system of units of measurement for all aspects of international civil
aviation air and ground operations.
Prefixes:
The prefixes and symbols listed in the table below shall be used to form names and symbols of the decimal multiples
and submultiples of International System of Units (SI) units.
MULTIPLICATION FACTOR PReFIx SyMbOL
1 000 000 000 000 000 000 = 101⁸ exa E
1 000 000 000 000 000 = 101⁵ peta P
1 000 000 000 000 = 1012 tera T
1 000 000 000 = 10⁹ giga G
1 000 000 = 10⁶ mega M
1 000 = 103 kilo k
100 = 102 hecto h
10 = 101 deca da
0.1 =10-1 deci d
0.01 = 10-2 centi c
0.001 = 10-3 milli m
0.000 001 = 10-⁶ micro µ
0.000 000 001 = 10-⁹ nano n
0.000 000 000 001 = 10-12 pico p
0.000 000 000 000 001 = 10-1⁵ femto f
0.000 000 000 000 000 001 = 10-1⁸ atto a
International System of Units (SI) Prefixes
Eng. M. Rasool
PREFACE
Propellers are the primary source of thrust for the most basic to many of the world’s most advanced aircraft. Modern
materials and the systems required for high performance flight have transformed propeller technology from the
carved wooden blade still commonly used on many light and sport aircraft to complex systems designed to adjust
pitch angle, self synchronize, and shed ice in foul weather conditions; all under the strain of tremendous horsepower
of modern turbine engines. This module covers propellers and propeller systems, beginning with general theory of
the fixed pitch prop to the inspection, repair, and preservation of full feathering and reversing blades, hydraulic and
electric governors, plus electronic FADEC and de-ice systems. Some maintenance procedures described include
balancing, tracking, vibration control, and preservation techniques. This module presents the B1 or A&P technician
with what he or she needs to know for both a general understanding of these systems and the ability to work around
them in an efficient and safe manner.
Module 17A Syllabus as outlined in PART-66, Appendix 1.
LEVELS
CERTIFICATION CATEGORY ¦ A B1
Sub-Module 01 - Fundamentals
Blade element theory;
1 2
High/low blade angle, reverse angle, angle of attack, rotational speed;
Propeller slip;
Aerodynamic, centrifugal, and thrust forces;
Torque;
Relative airflow on blade angle of attack;
Vibration and resonance.
Sub-Module 02 - Propeller Construction
Construction methods and materials used in wooden, composite and metal propellers;
1 2
Blade station, blade face, blade shank, blade back and hub assembly;
Fixed pitch, controllable pitch, constant speeding propeller;
Propeller/spinner installation.
Sub-Module 03 - Propeller Pitch Control
Speed control and pitch change methods, mechanical and electrical/electronic;
1 2
Feathering and reverse pitch;
Overspeed protection.
Sub-Module 04 - Propeller Synchronizing
Synchronizing and synchrophazing equipment.
- 2
Sub-Module 05 - Propeller Ice Protection
Fluid and electrical de-icing equipment.
1 2
Module 17 - Propeller v
Eng. M. Rasool
LEVELS
CERTIFICATION CATEGORY ¦ A B1
Sub-Module 06 - Propeller Maintenance
Static and dynamic balancing;
1 3
Blade tracking;
Assessment of blade damage, erosion, corrosion, impact damage, delamination;
Propeller treatment/repair schemes;
Propeller engine running.
Sub-Module 07 - Propeller Storage and Preservation
Propeller preservation and depreservation.
1 2
vi Module 17 - Propeller
Eng. M. Rasool
Module 17 - Propeller vii
Eng. M. Rasool
REVISION LOG
VERSION ISSUE DATE DESCRIPTION OF CHANGE MODIFICATION DATE
001 2016 01 Module Creation and Release
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
viii Module 17 - Propeller
Eng. M. Rasool
CONTENTS
PROPELLER
Reverse-Pitch Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.10
Welcome ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ iii Propeller Location ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.10
Forward ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ iv Tractor Propeller ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.10
Preface ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ v Pusher Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.10
Revision Log ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ viii Contra-Rotating Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.10
Acknowledgments ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ viii Counter-Rotating Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.11
Contents ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ ix Propeller Removal and Installation ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.11
Removal ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.11
SUB-MODULE 01
Installation ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.12
FUNDAMENTALS
Questions ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.15
Knowledge Requirements ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.1 Answers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.16
Introduction ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.2
SUB-MODULE 03
Overview ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.2
PROPELLER PITCH CONTROL
Fundamentals ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.3
Basic Propeller Principles ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.3 Knowledge Requirements ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.1
Propeller Aerodynamic Process ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.4 Propeller Pitch Controls ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.2
Range of Propeller Pitch ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.8 Propeller Governor ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.4
Forces Acting on a Propeller ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.9 Governor Mechanism ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.4
P-Factor ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.10 On Speed Condition ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.6
Slipstream Effect ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.11 Under Speed Condition ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.7
Torque ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.11 Over Speed Condition ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.7
Gyroscopic Precession ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.11 Constant-Speed Propeller Operations ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.7
Vibration and Resonance ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.12 Hartzell Constant-Speed, Non-feathering
Questions ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.13 Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.7
Answers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 1.14 Constant-Speed Feathering Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.8
Unfeathering ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.10
SUB-MODULE 02
Autofeathering System ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.11
PROPELLER CONSTRUCTION
Hamilton Standard Hydromatic Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.11
Knowledge Requirements ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.1 Components ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.12
Propeller Construction ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.2 Hamilton Standard Propeller Control ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.13
Propellers Used on General Aviation Aircraft ‥‥‥‥ 2.2 Principles of Operation ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.13
Fixed-Pitch Wooden Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.2 Hydromatic On Speed Condition ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.14
Torquing Wooden Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.4 Hydromatic Under Speed Condition ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.14
Metal Fixed-Pitch Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.5 Over Speed Condition ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.15
Steel Propeller Blades ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.5 Feathering Operation ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.15
Composite Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.6 Unfeathering Operation ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.17
Blade Stations ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.6 Turboprop Engines and Propeller Control Systems 3.18
Propeller Hub, Shank, Back, and Face ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.6 Reduction Gear Assembly ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.19
Types of Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.7 Turbo-Propeller Assembly ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.19
Test Club Propeller ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.7 Pratt and Whitney PT-6 Hartzell
Fixed-Pitch Propeller ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.7 Propeller System ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.21
Ground-Adjustable Propeller ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.8 Over Speed Protection ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.24
Controllable-Pitch Propeller ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.8 Electrically Controlled Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.25
Constant-Speed Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.8 Questions ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.29
Feathering Propellers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 2.9 Answers ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ 3.30
Module 17 - Propeller ix