Propeller Innovation Takes Off

Abstract

This article demonstrates events that bring revolution in propeller design and innovation. Propeller design has changed in only small increments since 1903. Design changes incrementally in mainstream aviation, and major design innovations are rare. The mechanical and aerospace engineers who design propellers are innovating again. In propeller design, high power and low pitch are ideal for take-off, while higher pitch and lower power are ideal for high-altitude cruising. In order to meet these conflicting demands, a variable pitch mechanism is used to automatically control the blades’ pitch in flight. While new materials are important, engineers say faster, cheaper computers, along with the nearly limitless hardware and software resources in the cloud, have contributed the most to propeller design. Affordable technology is also allowing many small companies to compete against the big boys and take risks that were once far too expensive and risky to attempt.