On Oct 20, 6:44 pm, Jack Allison
wrote:
This past December, I was lamenting our options in dealing with AD
2006-18-15, the repetitive eddy current inspections on our Hartzell prop
hub. Our prop had been through three overhauls and it likely would not
have made it through one more (prop shop did some measurements while on
the plane and it was a matter of how thick the paint was as to whether
or not it could go through another overhaul).

We considered repetitive inspections as well as priced out our options
for 2-blade replacement props. We'd ruled out 3-blade options mostly
due to the increased cost.

After posting about it here in r.a.o (see:http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...hread/thre...),
I received an e-mail from Kevin Ryan at Hartzell telling me about
their 40% discount on a replacement prop and hub. As it turns out, this
was about 1.2 AMUs less than what a local prop shop had quoted me for a
2-blade McCauley prop & hub. My partners and I pondered the options and
decided to go with the Hartzell option.

I think the discount ended at the end of September. I considered it as
well but ended up doing the ECI. My blades are also near limits.
However, I've heard a lot of good things about the new 2 blade
composite available from Lake Aero. The price is only a bit more than
the Hartzell discount so I decided to continue doing the ECI and if I
knick a blade I'll pay the extra 1.5 AMU for the new composite prop.
People are claiming 3-5 knots extra on the new prop but the
interesting thing about the new prop is that it (in theory) has an
unlimited life span. During overhaul the blades do not get smaller as
metal blades do so you can overhaul it as many times as necessary.
I just had my ECI done at Stockton. $350 plus an AM off work but it
only took an hour. The shop has a deal that they use Top Gun's hanger
so they can do it on the field.

-Robert