Looked at manufacturer info and did a search here trying to verify overhaul requirements on the 200RV prop. I saw references to a 650 hour rebuild but not sure if that is mandatory. Anyone know if this is considered a mandatory or recommended requirement? My prop is in great shape and never had any issues with it. Since it's not leaking and shows no noticeable wear I wonder if best left alone if not required.
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Whirlwind 200RV
- Thread starter mcattell
- Start date
As I understand the folks at Whirlwind they just recommend that. If it not slinging grease then I would keep flying it. I would not be surprised for them to raise the hours and years for teardown and inspection. I'm not that lucky, mine is slinging grease so I have to put new seals in it (270 hours / 7.5 years).
ronschreck
Well Known Member
Thumbs up for Whirlwind
I bought one of the first 200RV props and took it for inspection at 650 hours. What they call an inspection is really a total teardown and overhaul. They found virtually no wear, upgraded the pitch pins to more robust units, replaced all the bearings and upgraded to a better grease that cuts down on the seeping during hot weather. I called them approaching 1300 hours and they asked me to wait another 200 hours to bring it in. They were considering changing the inspection cycle to 800 hours. The second inspection at 1500 hours saw no wear. (On an experimental aircraft the inspection period is not mandatory.)
I sold the prop several years ago as Hartzell sponsored Team AeroDynamix and gave us their new advanced composite prop. At nearly twice the price, the Hartzell's performance is almost identical to the Whirlwind 200RV!
I bought one of the first 200RV props and took it for inspection at 650 hours. What they call an inspection is really a total teardown and overhaul. They found virtually no wear, upgraded the pitch pins to more robust units, replaced all the bearings and upgraded to a better grease that cuts down on the seeping during hot weather. I called them approaching 1300 hours and they asked me to wait another 200 hours to bring it in. They were considering changing the inspection cycle to 800 hours. The second inspection at 1500 hours saw no wear. (On an experimental aircraft the inspection period is not mandatory.)
I sold the prop several years ago as Hartzell sponsored Team AeroDynamix and gave us their new advanced composite prop. At nearly twice the price, the Hartzell's performance is almost identical to the Whirlwind 200RV!
B Cunningham
Well Known Member
For all of the WW200RV owners with props that show no sign of wear -- how does it look cosmetically? Mine after 360 hours has chipped off much of the black paint on the back leading edges. Its starting to look bad. I don't fly off unimproved strips. Also doesn't Whirlwind recommend a 5 year time frame on overhauls?
Also doesn't Whirlwind recommend a 5 year time frame on overhauls?
erich weaver
Well Known Member
Modest chipping of paint on back of blades after 540 hours. I have very fine cracking in the blade finish where they enter the hub. Whirlwind says shouldnt be a problem but to keep an eye on them to see if they grow significantly. So far they seem pretty stable. They indicated they have made a change to prevent these cracks from forming since I purchased my prop.
Extreme closeup to show my cracks:
Extreme closeup to show my cracks:
For all of the WW200RV owners with props that show no sign of wear -- how does it look cosmetically? Mine after 360 hours has chipped off much of the black paint on the back leading edges. Its starting to look bad. I don't fly off unimproved strips.
550 hrs. mine has some scattered chips on the back from rocks. overall it's not bad and not worth repainting. I don't have any chipping on the trailing edge. I usually don't give max power until about 25 kts to reduce chipping. I have a long runway. the seals look pristine as well as the fwd side.
one time I decided to have a long roll out with power and held the nose up for a long time. I noticed chipping after that exercise. I don't do that anymore.
pictures better than words:
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more. 550 hrs. it has been good.
do you need a constant speed prop for an RV-9? probably not, but there was one time my wife and I were taking off from Goodspeed airport (42B, 2100 ft strip) fully loaded, at 1/3 down the runway a flock of geese that were hidden from view lifted off and started climbing across the runway. we out climbed them by 10 ft. that paid for the prop.
the geese (about 30) were behind the hangar. there was only one direction out for them.
do you need a constant speed prop for an RV-9? probably not, but there was one time my wife and I were taking off from Goodspeed airport (42B, 2100 ft strip) fully loaded, at 1/3 down the runway a flock of geese that were hidden from view lifted off and started climbing across the runway. we out climbed them by 10 ft. that paid for the prop.
the geese (about 30) were behind the hangar. there was only one direction out for them.
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