Help!

I dropped off my propeller for an overhaul. What they found was "interesting" (apparently a good paint job can hide old Dremel tool repairs...). Plus a pitch that varied anywhere from 48" to 54" and one blade being too thin means I now have a new mantelpiece.

I need a propeller! Anybody have any ideas? New? Used? Where to get one and how long will it take?

According to the Type Certificate, my choices are as follows:
Sensenich 69CK
McCauley 1A100/MCM
McCauley 1A101/DCM

check your email, kirk!

I would highly reccommend doing business with Western Aircraft Propeller. Very friendly folks and very good service. And this is a very good price!

I know you will, you are the type, but this bears repeating..... Take your time, make a list of all the prop shops you can find, nationwide, and spend a couple of mornings calling. Be open to any option. Remember, if you change from McC to Sen, that you also need new bolts, and that is $175 plus shipping from Sensenich. You really should consider replacing the old bolts in any case.

Charles

My first thought is to go with a brand-new Sensenich 69CK-50 for $2900 with new spinner and bolts.

Interestingly, Wag-Aero seems to offer the same package for $2100, though I suspect it's just the prop minus spinner and hardware.

My worry with 'used' is having to repitch the prop if it's not already 50", and possibly an overhaul for $500.

My biggest problem right now is resigning myself to the fact that next weekend's annual will need to be rescheduled and the plane could very well be down for 8-12 weeks (according to Sensenich's delivery forecast). That puts me perilously close to my wedding date. All in all, I may be down until next year <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Kirk

When you call around include Midwest Propeller at the Kenosha airport in Wisconsin. They were great to deal with, honest, and run a great shop with a good reputation.

And I have been there - best of luck for you!

(I owe you a VOR indicator too - it's sitting here packed to go, and posting this will make me get off my duff and ship it insured!!)

UPS just delivered a brand-new Sensenich 69CK-0-50L!! Just in time for my annual this weekend. Woohoo, I'll be back in the air!

I checked around on the internet and found out that Tiffin Aire [tiffinaire.com] in Tiffin, Ohio had new ones in stock.

Better still, since they're an overhaul shop they could repaint the propeller in white with red tips (if I'm gonna spend all this money, I wanna see a difference). I asked them to paint the spinner red, too. Mike at Tiffin Aire started to balk, saying that he won't be able to match my plane's color, all reds aren't the same, etc. I told him my plane was no prize-winner, that any red was red enough, and if he didn't paint it, I would - with a spray-can. With a chuckle he said don't do that, he'll do it professionally.

All told, the new Sensenich prop, new bolts, new spinner, custom paint, and shipping (Ground-COD) came to $2830. That is cheaper than direct from Sensenich, only a little more than Aircraft Spruce. And both of those would've been stock gray paint and certainly not 2-days delivery time.


[Linked Image]

that's some serious pitch on those blades, or did you bend it already

Good job on the acquisition, Kirk. That will look great on your plane. I'm hoping you'll have some performance increases, too.

Pretty...

Thanks - I'm hoping to feel a difference in performance, too. Sensenich studied the airflow around the cowling of a Cessna 150 and came up with a more efficient pitch design. Technically it's still a 50" pitch, but the prop is stamped "50L", the "L" denoting the new design.

According to Sensenich:
Test data shows that, with a "50" pitch (52 pitch is standard on CESSNA 150 airplanes) and the revised blade-angle distribution, time to lift-off may be reduced by about 15%; rate-of-climb may be increased by a factor of about 9%; and the airplane upon which the prototype propeller was tested showed an 85 knot cruise at 10 rpm less than was required with the standard propeller.

I wish I had done more tests with my old McCauley prop. I suspect any benefits may be as much wishful thinking as real. I'll report back what I find.

Very pretty! Make sure you post some pics of it installed on your plane!

After my friend had his prop strike a year and a half ago, we loaded his bent prop into my old 172 and flew it to Tiffin. Some of the bent props they had in there were seriously wacked, they said they can fix most of them though!

The people at Tiffin are great.
Last year that is where we ended up when we didn't make it
to Clinton.

Tiffin-Seneca Co (16G) is as far west (to Clinton) as I made it last year prior to returning back east. The folks at Tiffin Aire were hospitable and friendly as I walked around the facility. Glad to hear they could help you.
Mark

Should have told them you would paint the airplane red to match the prop.

Charles

I'm a little concerned about the white paint on the hub area. If it has any thickness to it (like a poly paint) it may crush when torqued down and the prop loosen up. I highly suggest flying it a few hours and retorquing it. Also, use nylon or fiber washers under the screws for a no paint damage look.

Charles

We'll re-check the torque - good idea.

As for the nylon washers, you mean under the spinner screws, right; not under the prop-bolt heads?

Correct

Charles

We went to mount the prop yesterday, and the spinner won't line up!

Argh!!

The mounting holes for the front plate and spinner miss each other by half-a-hole (see attachment). And that's if we mount the plate incorrectly. When we put the plate on according to the instructions (all alignment marks in sync), then the holes miss completely.

I'm down until another spinner comes up. Time to make a few phones calls....

Skull Cap Spinner [aircraftspruce.com]

The only way to fly!

Hi Kirk,

Did you sort out your spinner problem. I am also in the market for a new Sensenich C2401 Spinner and as it will be shipped to Australia, returning it due to poorly lined up holes will not be an option.

Cheers
Darin

Yes - I spoke with Sensenich directly. They took another spinner out of the box, mounted it to their test jig to confirm fitment, then shipped it out to me. It will work.

however...

Fit and finish of this spinner is mediocre. The spinner is actually a BN-1 Spinner Assembly [acs-products.com] from ACS Products in Lake Havasu, Arizona. I'm sure they have rulers in Arizona, I just don't know if ACS uses them.

For example, on the new spinner the front bulkhead holes are arranged in a circle. Since all points of a circle are the same, it stands to reason that it doesn't matter with which screw to start.

But it does - start with the wrong screw, and by the time you work your way around, the last screw-hole will be off enough that the screw won't fit. Start with a different screw hole and everything fits... but with a slight bit of persuasion. If this is typical for spinners, it's no wonder that people are cracking bulkheads left and right.

I'm disappointed in ACS's build quality. Although Sensenich wouldn't say it on the record, they agree with me. It seems to be a hand-made product with no interchangeable parts - everything seems hand-fitted together, and "close enough" is the corporate motto. Although this spinner will fit, I suspect a few strokes with a round file will be needed to relieve the stress the screws will impart to the bulkheads.

So, I would contact Sensenich, explain that you're 'down under' and ask that they test-fit the spinner before shipping.

Thanks Kirk,

That is good advise. Something else I considered was to purchase the geniune Cessna Article. It is about $175.00 more, however if it is a higher quality better lasting product, then the $175.00 well spent.
If it comes from the same source, then why bother.

Cheers
Darin

The genuine Cessna spinner FOR THE SENSENICH PROP is two pieces, The dome and the backplate. The two pieces together will cost you in excess of $1000!!!!

0450020-1 PLATE
(List Price: $ 649.00) Stock Available $ 551.65 (EA)

0450021-1 SPINNER
(List Price: $ 558.00) Stock Available $ 502.20 (EA)

The bad part of this is, while I have seen a few that lasted and held up, most of the spinner domes seem to begin cracking in the first 50 to 100 hours. It is an entirely different spinner than the BN-1 that is the basis for the Sensenich marketed spinner. The BN-1 in the Sensenich version, while possibly not always the best fit, is a very sturdy spinner. Sensenich went to the trouble to have this spinner custom cut and drilled by ACS for them (you can buy it from Aircraft Spruce, but it is a blank, unfinished product) and Sensenich holds an STC for this.

Charles