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and f lown. Those operators all want to go fast and have the best perfor- mance available. They’re willing to spend the money to upgrade the prop just like they do with the airframe and electronics.”
“We see cooperation between propel- ler service providers and even MROs because we’re all trying to deliver qual- ity support and enrich our customers’ flight experience. The number of FAA propeller repair stations in the U.S. is probably around 50, so we all know each other,” Richardson commented.
“It used to be that the propellers and cowlings were the last things to be addressed during mandated inspections – right before the air- plane went back to the operator. That perfunctory check allowed a lot of them to go back into the air without proper lubrication or with corrosion issues, and that could produce a dan- gerous situation.”
“We have seen a lot of aircraft with high-time props. The operators think they’re saving money by stretching them to the limit. But, when they
finally get around to inspecting them, the blades all need to be re- placed. At $7,000 per blade on a pair of four-bladed props, the cost to repair the old props gets pretty close to the expense of buying all-new, zero-time replacements.”
The network of propeller manufac- turers, maintainers and prop shop op- erators really is, in Rebecca Williams’s words, “a large but small group.” They aren’t vast in number, but their role in keeping the flying public safe is sig- nificant, even if it’s often overlooked. But that’s okay with them. They ac- tually prefer to be like the products they service: quiet, efficient and in- dispensable!
Dave Franson is a veteran commu- nications executive with more than 45 years of experience with NBAA, Allied- Signal Aerospace, Learjet and Cessna in Wichita, Kansas. He is currently the president of the Wichita Aero Club. You can contact Dave at davefranson@ mac.com.
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May 2021 / TWIN & TURBINE • 21