ORIGINAL: da Rock
Differences based on composition also don't hold up. Master Airscrew and APC are both filled plastic. But the APC tips are paper thin and can be twisted easily. The MA tips are usually still airfoiled and thick. Is it the plastic or the cross section that matters. So just the composition isn't the point.
The Master Airscrews bend VERY easily.
I have one on a O.S. 91 right now. At idle the prop looks like an out of alignment heli rotor. As it speeds up the prop "bends" back into plane and the engine flies OK.
When I put on an APC however things change dramatically for the better.
The thin TIPS of the APC may bend a bit, but the larger cross sectional areas are VERY sturdy and the props never suffer this problem.
Things being equal the APC's are still much firmer than the Master Airscrew props. e.g. if the cross section is the same, the APC will bend far LESS than the Master Airscrew, probably because of their imbedded carbon fibers.
They also hold up far better in the event of a nose over or MINOR strike.
If an APC's tip hits the ground, the damage tends to be very minor. I just sand those razor knife tips to a nice rounded edge with no appreciable loss of performance since so little material is actually removed and affected.
If a MA hits the ground, it tends to damage it greatly or crack it.
If a wood prop hits the ground, it's time to replace it.