ORIGINAL: GeraldRosebery
People seem to get the impression that a quality prop is expensive. If you mean carbon fiber maybe that's true, but excellent wood props are very competitive with paint stirrers:
BME: 22 x 8, 10, 12 - $25.00
Bolly: 22 x 10 $32.00 22 x 8 $32.00
Menz: 22 x 8, 10, 12 $25.00
These are prices taken off the BME and Desert Aircraft websites. What does one pay for a Zinger - $18 maybe $22? Is the aggravation of lousy performance worth $5 when the engine cost $600? Props REALLY do make a difference!
Gerry,
I do not disagree with your assesment regarding price. In fact I try to avoid Zingers on my DA50. The biggest problem that I had recently with quality props was just getting one. None of the hobby shops in my area (nearest one is 40 miles) carry anything but Zingers in 20"+. This past spring everytime I called one of the quality prop distributors, they were out of 22x8, 22x10's. I even tried to buy some at Toledo Expo and none were to be found there as well. Though I didn't want to, I was stuck with the Zingers for the early part of the season. I did not let it stop me from flying or let it ruin my day(s). They were good enough to get me by at the time. I guess what I am trying to say is that I think Zingers are on the low end of the performance scale, but I don't think that they are completely worthless either.
Last month I was able to get some NX's (nobody had any Menz which I had been using) and I will give them a whirl next year. I would try them this year, but about 2 weeks ago my CA 27% Extra was "shot down" by another radio.....but that's another story.
Mike