More durable prop option/Motor brake?

[Gr8folded]

Hey all,

I am wondering if there is a more durable, affordable CCW prop option out there aside from APC Slow Flyer props .

Two of my planes are set up as belly landers as some of the fields I fly in really aren't conducive to landing gear.
That said, despite having good landings with a nice flair at the end and a completely killed motor, I end up snapping a prop 1 or 2 times in every 15 or so flights. This understandable happens when the prop happens to stop in a vertical orientation. Every broken prop I've had has broken in the same exact area of the prop as well.

I've broken 4 props as a result in around 35-50 flights. Is that normal for belly landers?

I'm using APC 10 x 4.7 slow flyer props. They seem very brittle and unforgiving.

I've read that setting up a motor brake on your ESC can reduce this, but having never used one, are you able to set the brake up so that it stops with the prop horizontal to the ground as opposed to vertical?

Are there nylon prop alternatives out there that anyone would recommend?

Thanks for any help!

 

[jwhitacre]

Hey all,

I am wondering if there is a more durable, affordable CCW prop option out there aside from APC Slow Flyer props .

Two of my planes are set up as belly landers as some of the fields I fly in really aren't conducive to landing gear.
That said, despite having good landings with a nice flair at the end and a completely killed motor, I end up snapping a prop 1 or 2 times in every 15 or so flights. This understandable happens when the prop happens to stop in a vertical orientation. Every broken prop I've had has broken in the same exact area of the prop as well.

I've broken 4 props as a result in around 35-50 flights. Is that normal for belly landers?

I'm using APC 10 x 4.7 slow flyer props. They seem very brittle and unforgiving.

I've read that setting up a motor brake on your ESC can reduce this, but having never used one, are you able to set the brake up so that it stops with the prop horizontal to the ground as opposed to vertical?

Are there nylon prop alternatives out there that anyone would recommend?

Thanks

Hello there! Here's a few ideas that I've used over the years:
I had a F-27C that had much success with the ESC brake enabled and a Master Airscrew prop. The brake stops it wherever it is so no luck on the position, but that MA prop was tough and actually bent the 3mm shaft a few times without breaking. Another option is a prop saver to mount the prop onto the motor.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KO6LR38/?tag=lstir-20

I'm not sure your motor diameter, but you can find them to suit your needs. Setting the brake on your esc will least help with the windmill action when landing so that's good either way.

 

[quorneng]

You do have to consider what will happen if the prop is so strong it does not break in the worst case vertical scenario.
A bent motor shaft or damaged motor mount or bulkhead could prove at least as costly as a prop.

I too have to belly land virtually all my tractor planes.
My solution is to set the ESC brake on and then glide slow enough that the prop does not rotate. With a long approach there is enough time if the prop is vertical to put on a short blip of power and hope the prop stops in a better position. Touch wood so far the only broken props have been as a result of actual crash.

 

[Gr8folded]

Hello there! Here's a few ideas that I've used over the years:
I had a F-27C that had much success with the ESC brake enabled and a Master Airscrew prop. The brake stops it wherever it is so no luck on the position, but that MA prop was tough and actually bent the 3mm shaft a few times without breaking. Another option is a prop saver to mount the prop onto the motor.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KO6LR38/?tag=lstir-20

I'm not sure your motor diameter, but you can find them to suit your needs. Setting the brake on your esc will least help with the windmill action when landing so that's good either way.

Excellent advice! I will be trying MA props for my next buy. Thanks!

 

[Gr8folded]

You do have to consider what will happen if the prop is so strong it does not break in the worst case vertical scenario.
A bent motor shaft or damaged motor mount or bulkhead could prove at least as costly as a prop.

I too have to belly land virtually all my tractor planes.
My solution is to set the ESC brake on and then glide slow enough that the prop does not rotate. With a long approach there is enough time if the prop is vertical to put on a short blip of power and hope the prop stops in a better position. Touch wood so far the only broken props have been as a result of actual crash.

I was wondering if that was a technique to try with the brake. With a long enough glide path keep resetting the brake until it's horizontal. Nice! I think it'll be a MA prop, ESC brake and trying to get the brake to stop in a non vertical orientation.

Thanks!

 

[quorneng]

One further point about the ESC brake.
The brake is dynamic, the faster the prop spins the more the braking effect but it does not 'lock' the prop.
Depending on the airspeed the prop may rotate slowly but even then the slow rotation means the chances the prop will be simply pushed out of the way are much better than with a fast 'wind milling' prop.
It helps if your planes are relatively slow flyers.

 

[Foamforce]

Fwiw, I never attempt to make the prop horizontal when I use the brake, but it works anyways. My most recent plane is a Noob Wonder with a 10” cheap prop. No landing gear. About 20 flights, no broken props yet. I do my best to flare on landing, and I’m sure that helps, but I’m not always successful and I have plenty of mud and grass stains below the firewall. The ESC brake seems to do the trick for me.

 

[Tench745]

I'll offer a slightly dissenting opinion. In the bit of flying I have done, I have never found an advantage to using a motor brake. I have a couple belly-landers and have, thus-far, only broken props in a crash. I have found that if I come in slow, barely skimming the ground, the prop tends to flop out of the way. It works even better with pushers.
Your mileage my vary, of course. Planes like the FT Sportster and Speedster have a relatively high thrustline, so the prop is pretty protected. My Mini Scout has a lot less fuselage to protect the prop, so I use a prop saver on that one.

Also, see if you can find some GWS slow-fly props. They tend to be a little less brittle than the APC Slow-fly props.

 

[Aireal Anarchist]

I have been using 11x7 slow fly APC composite props and they do break easier than other props I use due to the WIDE THIN blades.....and I do have the motor brake set, I broke even more in the winter due to cold making them more brittle so I found some cheap plastic (more flexible) and they lasted longer but sacrificed in performance.

as posted above....set the brake watch the prop when it stops give it a blip of power when needed....and in my case the vegetation has grown to 3 ft tall and problem is solved till fall when the vegetation dies back again

 

[Enrique66]

One must also take into consideration the potential consequences if the propeller remains intact in a worst-case vertical scenario. In such a situation, a bent motor shaft or damage to the motor mount or bulkhead could result in costs similar to those of a damaged propeller.
I also encounter the need to perform belly landings with most of my tractor-style planes. With a user-friendly interface, seamless navigation, and a wide range of sports and betting options, the Marvelbet App https://mrvlbt.com/app/ has quickly become a fan favorite. My approach involves activating the ESC brake and flying at a slow enough speed to prevent the propeller from rotating. When I have a long approach, there is ample time to make a brief application of power in the vertical position, with the hope that the propeller stops in a more favorable position. Fortunately, so far, I've been fortunate enough that the only broken props have been due to actual crashes.

 

[Piotrsko]

If you're shredding up that many props, you need to take the performance hit and use a master airscrew fuel prop for gasser airplanes. I have one that's pushing 50years old.