Engineers testing eight-blade prop for C-130

USAF ^ | 11/4/2010 | Kenji Thuloweit

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Engineers with the 418th Flight Test Squadron are currently testing a C-130H3 cargo plane equipped with Hamilton Sundstrand NP 2000 propellers.

The new eight-bladed composite propellers are shaped to provide additional thrust in the takeoff and low airspeed range while using the current C-130 engines.

Regular C-130 "legacy" planes use four-blade propellers. With eight blades, the NP 2000 props are designed to perform with more power and efficiency.

"A major limitation propellers have is the wave drag generated by shockwaves when the propeller tips go supersonic," said Dustin Marschik, a 418th FTS performance and flying qualities engineer. "Newer propeller designs aim to reduce this wave drag, which improves efficiency and performance. The NP 2000 blade design incorporates a more efficient airfoil design, which theoretically will lead to improved performance in the takeoff and climb out phases of flight.

"The eight-bladed props are much more efficiently designed and utilize modern design and manufacturing methods which aim to optimize twist and blade sweep to improve performance," Mr. Marschik said.

Computer simulation and the composite materials that make up the blades help engineers optimize the blade angle and twists to make the propeller faster and better.

"It is designed specifically for the LC-130 mission in Antarctica," said Maj. C.B. Cain, a C-130 flight commander. "Right now, they use these jet-assisted takeoff bottles to help them takeoff to get to about a 60-knot takeoff range. If this propeller does what it is supposed to do, then it would produce additional thrust and reduce the need for those JATO bottles, or eliminate them completely."

[Gondring]

Are these the same as the C-130J props?

[tired1]

What took so long?

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

These are new props. The new ones are the NP 2000 propellers. The original propellers was the Allison T56 and were replaced by the Rolls Royce AE2100. The AE 2100 is used by the C-130J.

[Tainan]

C-130 8 blade prop ping

[Gondring]

Yeah, I realized that after posting. These are 8-bladed...that should have told me right there. Sorry for sleep-posting...time to go back to bed. X-)

[ICE-FLYER]

This is my unit...the 8 blade prop is a Navy program we adopted at the 109th Airlift Wing as it serves us quite well. They need to buy this prop for all herks. It almost does not vibrate which increases the life of the aircraft and many components by a lot. It also can be fixed in 30 minutes if a blade leaks fluid. In this case the blade can be replaced vice the whole prop (an 8 hour ordeal) so it is of great economy to do this program.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I hope its quieter than its older relatives.

[ICE-FLYER]

Well, put it this way...you can take your headset off and talk in the cockpit in conversational tones...THATS quitre compared tot he 4 blades of the H models and even the 6 of the J model.

[taildragger]

The guy who is on the cutting edge of propeller design is Paul Lipps.

Why none of the "big guys" are looking into his methodology and theory is beyond me. It is based around equaling out the Reynolds numbers via changing chord length to make the whole blade work and using laminar airfoils. The racing planes using his props have zero prop noise and they are setting records and this year picked up another 20 mph. The one disadvantage seems to be is no static thrust @ full throttlw with the brakes on. But as Mr. Lipps noted, it is not for pulling stumps out of the ground!

[WayneM]

But will they still SOUND like a C-130?

[mad_as_he$$]

A Herc that does not vibrate? How are they going to punish troops now?

[Yo-Yo]

This is my unit...the 8 blade prop is a Navy program we adopted at the 109th Airlift Wing as it serves us quite well.

This is the same prop that the Navy developed for the E-2 and C-2 aircraft. Why wouldn't the USAF put them on every Herc with more than 1 hour left on its airframe?

[Yo-Yo]

Why none of the "big guys" are looking into his methodology and theory is beyond me.

[SNIP]

The one disadvantage seems to be is no static thrust @ full throttlw with the brakes on. But as Mr. Lipps noted, it is not for pulling stumps out of the ground!

I think you just answered your own question. What a Herc needs is as much static thrust as possible to get a load into the air as quickly as possible. It doesn't need absolute top speed.

In other words, the Herc needs a stump puller.

[11Bush]

How are they going to punish troops now?

Make the sling seats less comfortable? Nah, already did that.

[ops33]

As I can testify from personal experience, Man was not made to fly sideways on lawn furniture.

[magslinger]

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[ColdOne]

zero prop noise MrColdOne says that should be mandatory! Awesome plane prop, plane cool too!

[ColdOne]

One more thing, your plane in photo?

[magslinger]

The racing planes using his props have zero prop noise and they are setting records and this year picked up another 20 mph.

Noise is energy. If your gizmo is making noise, it is wasting energy.