Props are one of the most overlooked pieces of equipment we tend to put on our airplanes. There are so many different variables associated with choosing the "CORRECT" propellor. As many have stated earlier, wood, composite or semi-composite are the most common choices.

Airframe should really dictate which prop to go with. Each have very realistic advantages and disadvantages. It all depends on what type of performance is necessary to meet the airframes objectives. ie: Sunday flying, 3D, Pattern, Pylon etc...

To give you a real world example, I recently finished building a Balsa USA 1/4 scale cub. I bashed the kit a little bit to have it reflect a L-4 Birddog. Not complicated at all. Just a bunch of greenhouse windows. Small modification at best. Many of my friends in my club have J-3's, so, I tried to be a little different with the L-4, its a Cub, but looks a little bit cooler. In my opinion anyway...STARS and BARS...

I have a Evolution 35cc gasser up front. I don't need the power, but I need the weight. I hate to waste weight on lead, so for the same price as a 26cc, I put the 35cc instead and I did not need any lead up front at all. Balance was perfect.

So, Now I have a choice to make, which prop. I have been flying my 3D planes with strictly composite props, my preference, they seem to spool up quicker with less flex than other props, although slightly heavier than wood, but exactly what I need when I am hovering three feet off the deck and need to pull out vertically. Composite is stronger, which is good, but not if your prop strikes the ground. Wood breaks easily, less damage to motor. But for this project, that type of performance is not necessary, after all, its a Cub. I have used many wooden props in the past, Bolly, Pro-Zinger and Menz to name a few. I recently noticed that TBM was putting out their own line of wooden props. So, for this project, its a 20 X 8 wooden prop by TBM. Don't think that I did not have some reservations about changing from my trusted Bolly, but I figured that this was a easy enough project to take a chance on and It was 5 bucks cheaper to boot. It is, in my opinion, always worth trying out new things, like 2.4 Ghz for example...You just never know when the next best thing is going to pop up.

I ran my Cub around our field for 3 test flights, tuned in the high and low end and trimmed out my plane. Everything working perfect. Now to put her through her paces, steep climbs, tail slides, loops, stall turns and a few touch and go's.

I was pleasantly impressed by the TBM prop, so much so, I pulled it off my engine and through a 20 X 8 Bolly on to see if I could notice any differences. NONE...I flew the same exact routine as with the TBM prop, no noticeable difference whatsoever. Now you are probably thinking, its a Cub...what kind of paces could you put a Cub through. Well anybody who knows me, I like to ring my planes out quickly to find out what they can and cannot do, just in case you need it. So although I was testing this prop on my $500 Cub versus my $5000 composite Edge, I still fly hard. I like to find out the limitations of all of my equipment as well as myself.

Balancing the hub and tips were easy, I noticed very little flex in the prop at all. It made me feel very comfortable when I was alll finished. I actually put the TBM prop back on my Cub when I was finished that day. It had a more noticeable coat of clearcoat on it than the Bolly and was $5.00 less expensive. With that said, remember, the airframe chooses the prop, not the other way around.

Hope you find this helpful

Frank