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Old March 29th, 2008, 09:06   #8
dc3flyer
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Default Re: Constant Speed Prop.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tgrayson View Post
Rough calculations. Figure out what the change in velocity of the prop tip is 2700 vs 2400 rpm and compare that figure to the forward airspeed. A little trig will tell you what the change in AOA is.

Let's see, 6 ft prop means that the propeller arc is pi * 6 = 19 ft. And the prop tips covers that distance in either 2700 or 2400 RPM. Converting all that to ft/s gives 954 ft/s for 2700 RPM and 848 ft/s for 2400 RPM. A cruise speed of 140 knots is only 236 ft/s.

Using tan(theta) = 236/954 vs tan(theta) 236/848 is 15.5 degrees vs 13.89 degrees. So the relative wind changes angle 1.6 degrees. I can't say exactly how many degrees the prop pitch changes to slow to 2400 RPM, but I think you'll agree that it's intuitively more than 1.6 degrees.

Check my math.

WAY TOO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS!!!!!!!!!!!!


Great explanation though!
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