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How to know when prop turns right or left?


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Hi Eli,

 

When viewed from the front, if the leading edge of the prop is on the right side and the trailing edge on the left side of the prop, the prop is turning clockwise, and anti-clockwise if you see the prop LE is on the left side and the TE on the right side...am I clear ? :notworking: :BANGHEAD2:

 

Hubert

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Eli,

 

Propellers are known as "airscrews" by Brits, so I keep track of which way a prop turns by pretending that it propels an aircraft by "screwing" itself into the air. More correctly, though less easy to remember: a propellor is in fact an airfoil ("wing") with rounded front edge and sharp rear edge that provides force toward its broad side with greater curvature. The strength of that force -- "lift" for a wing or "pull" for a prop -- increases with the airfoil's speed and, up to a point, its "angle of attack," whence a propeller's twist and (in some cases) adjustable-pitch mechanism.

 

Charles Metz

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I think you are all missing the point, he seems to be asking how to know if the machine is swinging the prop clockwise or counter-clockwise? Most types run counter-clockwise as you face them, but there are a few that swing clockwise. And there is no way to tell, other than taking a closer look to see the blade pitch. To complicate things, some twin engine machines have the props going in opposite directions to counter torque, but others don't.

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I fly airplanes with propellers, and that confused me... But I also fly airplanes without propellers (or engines, for that matter), so the whole thing confuses me. Engines are for wussies. :rofl:

 

J

 

Good Stop here if you where going to say without wings your on some special medicine :)

johan

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both ways..you can tell by the bare metal leading edges and the shapes of the blades. 4 engines, 2 turn clockwise and 2 turn counterclockwise.

 

I see I might have to start a lecture series on how props work and all the good stuff associated with them like governors, distributor valves and 3-way valves, etc. Effective pitch vs. geometric pitch and all kinds of useless knowledge like that. Spent many a year working with propellors as an aircraft mechanic. If there's any interest, I'll break out the old text books, knock the cobwebs outta the old gord and lay down some good aircraft engine/prop knowledge.

 

Tim

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-snip-

 

Speaking of props, anybody know which WWII fighter has two critical engines, and why??

 

:speak_cool:

 

 

Every twin engine bomber that aborted take off and ended up bellied at the end of the runway with bent props and a flight engineer scratching his head asking...

 

"Hey captain - what's wrong?"

 

"Uhhhhh... both engines are critical..."

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I'm not sure I fully understand the meaning of the question but most WWII aircraft have a less eliptical curve on the leading edges of the props. So if you stand in front of the plane or can't clearly see the pitch of the blades, the prop will be rotating with the straighter bit first.

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