Owen said, > "You might want to check out polyurethane tapes for leading edge protection (used on military helicopter blades)."
Not long before he passed away, I flew up to Santa Maria to meet Paul Lipps. I did a prop balance job on his Lancair but mainly just wanted an opportunity to meet him and talk to him about props. You may know the name . . . he's the fellow whose props have been taking first place at Reno, Bi-Plane division, for the last ten years or more. Google the plane "Phantom", Tom Aberle's winning racer based just north of me up at Fallbrook for a look at one of Paul's designs. He's written a lot on VAF under the name "elippse" and has also written extensively for Contact Magazine. His thoughts on props are well worth reading if anyone's particularly interested in prop design and efficiency. I'm glad I got to meet him. He died of cancer not long after, although he looked fine when I was visiting. Googling "Paul Lipps" will summon a wealth of data regarding his work. Bruce Catto pretty much uses Paul's designs with the props he creates. If I were ever going to go from anything from my trusty Sterba, I would get on Catto's list. They're beautiful, and the backlog is somewhat long last time I talked to him. Regarding the leading edge tape . . . I ordered some expensive airfoil leading edge tape after I got my re-finished prop back from Lonnie Prince. The tape was designed for helicopter rotor blades - whether main or tail rotor I don't remember . . . probably the latter. I carefully put it on and flew up to Santa Maria where Paul was horrified to see what I had done. He explained the tape was disrupting "tripping" was the word he used, the flow of air across the blade and explained what a dumb idea it was. He used engineering terms and didn't use the word "dumb", but that's the gist of it. I took the tape off then and there and if anyone wants some I still have a roll of it stored in the hangar. Not recommended though. For that matter, when I got home I took the Prince off and put it back in it's shipping box and that's where it's sat for the last seven years. It's a 52 x 54, left (VW) rotation and if you never intend to fly through rain, it'll make someone a gorgeous propeller. It's gleaming black, appears absolutely as new following the refinishing. Lonnie said he "re-did" the leading edge protection but I don't believe a word of it even though I paid extra for such "protection." Lonnie is a very likeable and knowledgable propeller man. I've been to his shop and it was a fascinating visit. I just don't like a prop I can't fly through a storm with. Mike Stirewalt KSEE ____________________________________________________________ How To Remove Eye Bags & Lip Lines Fast (Watch) Fit Mom Daily http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5a98741cf3969741c7edcst02vuc _______________________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at https://www.mail-archive.com/krnet@list.krnet.org/. Please see LIST RULES and KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html. see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change options. To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@list.krnet.org
