Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

I'm wondering about CF propellers for a couple of reasons. The airplane is a 30% SBach 342 with a DA-50. I have not flown it yet, but will be using it for IMAC in 2013.

Reason #1 - Prop strikes
To be perfectly honest, this is the main reason. I've busted a lot of wooden props and I'm wondering if CF props are more tolerant of prop strikes

Reason #2 - IMAC
Are there advantages in performance?

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

Yeah... grass field

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

They are much stronger, so they take a little more abuse and also don't flex as much.

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

As K-Bob has already said, carbon fiber props don't flex near as much as wood does, thus making them more efficient and quieter. Wood tends to flatten out at higher rpms thus losing thrust and gaining rpm and making more noise

Now I'll address the noise, being you're showing you are from the Ottawa area, that places you in the Northeast region for IMAC. I am the incoming regional director for the northeast and over the last couple of years, noise has become a huge concern. We have lost close to a dozen flying fields to noise, that I am aware over. About half of those were IMAC friendly fields. Not one blamed them entirely on IMAC but it is my goal for the next two years to help everyone in the region to understand what is happening, so I respectfully am asking all IMAC pilots or those considering IMAC to be mindful of their planes sound signature. There are many ways to do that but the most important is good exhaust systems and good throttle management.

IMAC is often looked upon unfavorably when it comes to sound, but in the NE region it is a huge problem, more so than any other region IMAC has. In 2009-2010, as the RD back then, I ran around all over the region, Canada included and had a very quiet, yet very powerful 100cc plane and you cannot believe how many people said to me that they never thought you could get a plane that quiet and yet be that powerful. I had a very tight airframe, nice 3-blade CF prop, headers and canisters on a DA100 all in the most noisiest airframe you can imagine (Comp-Arf Extra 260). Comp_Arf's are well known to make a lot of noise if something is even a tiny bit loose. It just takes a bit of planning and good throttle management.

We have many 50cc planes that are extremely quiet, we also everything in-between and 50cc and 200cc airframes, all being very quiet and very powerful, that fly in our region,

Good luck and I hope to run into you at a contest or two next season.

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

Bill, thanks for the response. Given the responses in other forums I'll stick to wood until I've got some landing practice in with the SBach. It does have a canister and I am working on throttle management so both should help.

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

If breakage is a concern so is cost and that would keep me using wood props in your case. That said Hobby King has a series of carbon props that are "clones" of the older Mejzliks (spelling?) I've had. Not only do they look and work as the Mejzliks but they are a quarter the price. May be a good option for you, just don't tell anyone where you got them.

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

Evan makes a good point. Plus I wasn't aware of the Hobby King thingy, wish I knew that a couple of weeks ago when I order the Mej props from DA [&:]

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

When you are ready for a CF prop, look at the Falcon 23X9. I am currently running one on a DLE 55 with a canister set up. Very quiet, great upline pull and good downline breaking.

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

.... and make double sure no one is in front of them......

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

True, never stand in front of any prop (or directly to the side). Though if you are implying that the HK prop is sub standard I don't agree with you. It is every bit as good as my same size Mejzlik props.

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

Hi Bill,
Your response and explanation about sound control is worthy of publishing in the AMA's magazine.

Rafeek

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

I wouldn't want to be standing anywhere near a plane spinning a large CF prop with the name Turnigy on it  without wearing full riot gear !

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

Given what I've learned, the SBach will be wearing a wooden prop for the foreseeable future.

Bill, were you at the 2012 IMAC judging seminar that Isabel Deslauriers gave this spring?

RE: Carbon fiber vs wood - advantages?
 

I flew the prop all summer and fall, have hours on it with no issues... Balance was perfect as received and it works...