Originally posted by Montague
Speaking of wood props.... Way back when I was learning to fly, I was told all beginners should use wood props, since the prop will give before causing any damage to the engine when you nose over.
Actually there is some truth to that however giving the small diameter of the prop and the low rpms of the engine during landings the chances of it bending the crankshaft are greatly reduced.
If you take for example a lawnmower swinging a 22" blade cutting the grass at full throttle then you hit a stump in the yard. 80% of the time you just bent the crank. Why? Because your running it at full throttle and two because your swinging a 22" blade. The momentum of that blade swinging causes the crank to bend. With a small glo motor swinging an 11"prop at idle just doesn't have the momentum to bend it like the lawnmower does.