leading edge protection

[Area 51%]

Have decided on a Prince P-Tip for the project. Just don't know weather or not to go with the edge protection.

Not a fan of the look that I've seen on other wood props, that thick epoxy that looks like a leading edge repair. (Maybe it is)

Does the carbon wrapped P-Tip have that same look? Any close-ups of a Prince with protection?

Thanks

[SonexN76ET]

On the Prince propellers, you can not even tell the leading edge protection is there. I think they just put a little extra laminate on the leading edge. I stupidly flew through moderate rain showers for about 90 minutes and some of it wore away in the rain. I sanded the rough areas and put a couple coats of fiberglass resin over the area that had gotten rough and repainted the leading edge with marine polyurethane "boot stripe" paint and it looks as good as new.

Jake

[GraemeSmith]

From the Prince website:

"The Leading Edge Protector is made from an epoxy impregnated with erosion resistant materials. It is user field repairable."

[Area 51%]

I read the description of the edge protection on their site. I wasn't questioning "what" they were using, the question was "how much".

Thanks Jake, that's what I was looking for.

Has anyone had any experience with the owner-applied protective tape that Prince has available? Seems it might be a little tricky at the tips.

[WaiexN143NM]

Hi all,
we have a prince p tip on our waiex. black. it is actually the second prop. the first got blisters on it in the sun from a new type of epoxy lonnie tried. we shipped it back and he sent us a new prop. the first had leading edge extra protection tape from prince we put on . the second prop we havent put any on. was an easy job just go slow. prob should order some for the second prop. if i had to do it over again id order a white prop. the black prop gets VERY hot in the sun . hot to touch to move plane around.
fyi.

hope every had a safe labor day weekend.

WaiexN143NM
Michael

[GraemeSmith]

Ias anyone had any experience with the owner-applied protective tape that Prince has available? Seems it might be a little tricky at the tips.

Talked with and Lonnie Prince did agree it is just the 3M - PU protective tape - the thinnest one. Cheaper from Aircraft Spruce than him.

It is quite hard to apply successfully on the P-Tip prop - too many changes in compound curves on the prop compared to a relatively stiff and non-conforming tape which does "best" over a one dimensional curve. You are not going to get it onto the tips unless you do it in two pieces.

You need to trim/round the corners to prevent them lifting in the air stream.

3M - Have a product application sheet (Spruce usually send you a copy with your order - or you can download it off the Spruce site). You need to float the tape on a film of slightly soapy water to prevent it sticking early - while you get it to conform as best you can. Then squeegee it down. Even then I ended up with a couple of spots where I had to snip the tape to create a "dart" to get it to lie down.

In service - it is good for dust erosion and the like - but I've not had it save a prop from small stones - though it probably reduced the damage by taking some of the hit. Even wit hthe tape in place on an aluminum prop - I got dinged once to be beyond filing out. I'm hoping on a carbon prop it saves it enough to allow a chance of an epoxy repair.

The clear tape discolors to a faded yellow pretty quickly.

[WaiexN143NM]

hi all,
we only put the tape on the leading edge not around the tips. i figured that would be impossible. not too difficult, be patient! yes need soapy water to adjust and squeege. thanks gramme for the tip about aircraft spruce. will order some.

WaiexN143NM
Michael