I recently sent my Whirl Wind 200RV propeller on my RV-8 in for a hub IRAN and to change the blades to the newest scimitar-style 74HRT blades. Last week, I finally got the prop back with the new 74HRT blades. WW quoted 8-10 weeks turn-around, but it was actually 12 weeks and required numerous calls/e-mails to WW to get it done.
That being said, the new prop is, indeed, very sexy! The 74" blades are also very large compared to the 72" 200RV blades. I estimate ~2X the blade area. WW advises people with aftermarket cowlings and large spinners to be very careful with the installation to confirm clearances, but this was not an issue for my RV with the stock Van's snorkel cowl. The prop weighs about 1# more than the 200RV. Dynamic balancing went very well (0.01 IPS!) and the hub is not leaking any grease. (It never did, but that sometimes happens on the WW hubs.)
I have now flown it a few times, both in cruise (10800' DA, full throttle, 2400 RPM) and in formation. Do not seem to have lost anything at all in cruise, which surprised me! It definitely accelerates faster on TO and formation response subjectively seems better to me.
And when I am prop-full-forward in the pattern and pull the power, it really works now to help slow down, unlike the skinny 200RV, which did very little. Subjectively again, in this situation it feels more like a fat 3-blader.
All in all, I am not so pleased with WW service, but quite pleased with the new prop so far.
Andy
That being said, the new prop is, indeed, very sexy! The 74" blades are also very large compared to the 72" 200RV blades. I estimate ~2X the blade area. WW advises people with aftermarket cowlings and large spinners to be very careful with the installation to confirm clearances, but this was not an issue for my RV with the stock Van's snorkel cowl. The prop weighs about 1# more than the 200RV. Dynamic balancing went very well (0.01 IPS!) and the hub is not leaking any grease. (It never did, but that sometimes happens on the WW hubs.)
I have now flown it a few times, both in cruise (10800' DA, full throttle, 2400 RPM) and in formation. Do not seem to have lost anything at all in cruise, which surprised me! It definitely accelerates faster on TO and formation response subjectively seems better to me.
And when I am prop-full-forward in the pattern and pull the power, it really works now to help slow down, unlike the skinny 200RV, which did very little. Subjectively again, in this situation it feels more like a fat 3-blader.
All in all, I am not so pleased with WW service, but quite pleased with the new prop so far.
Andy