12/11/2022 0 Comments Sensenich propeller serial numbers![]() ![]() If you have a preference for unpainted props, you need to understand that function is more important than form in this case. Pure aluminum would be much more resistant to corrosion but would lack the characteristics that would allow it to retain its shape both static and in use – and to last for literally decades. Bug shells can be brutal on a prop! Sensenich uses 2025-T6 aluminum for props because it is very durable, lightweight and strong – many constant speed props, hubs, and blades are 7075. Props have to be protected from moisture and, to a degree, from other objects. I have also been in the EAA since the ’70s and totally understand the builder mindset, so all pilots should take this as constructive and really think about it.Ī stripped and polished propeller, no matter how good it looks, is doomed to corrosion, erosion, and (if ignored) will have a limited life. I have been writing about propellers for nearly 40 years and have picked up some valuable tidbits from prop manufacturers, repair stations, and engineers who design them. The lessons learned here could save some lives. I have seen this before when a non-prop paint was used. The local A&P was called in and – after stripping, cleaning, and a dye penetrant test – found that the damage was confined to the corrosion, and the crack was just in the paint. Members Only: See the important photos that go with this article, and read an op-ed by certified propeller mechanic Joe Mayer. Somehow moisture got in direct contact with the aluminum for a period of time. Perhaps there was a fingerprint under the primer. Corrosion was obviously the culprit and could only happen if water had been introduced beneath the paint on an untreated or improperly painted surface. ![]() The owner took pics and there is a definite suggestion of a crack emanating from the bubbly area. The picture showed a bubbling, scabby-looking blotch on the prop blade. Naturally, there was a flood of opinion, and Joe Mayer, Chief Inspector for Aircraft Propeller Service (APS) provided the light that was needed in the fog. By the time the discussion was over, it was a learning moment: When it comes to several areas of our planes, we shouldn’t try to fix them ourselves, and the propeller is often one of those areas. ![]() A member wrote in and sent pictures to our forum, showing a cancerous growth on his prop blade and what appeared to be a crack emanating through the blade for a couple of inches. ![]()
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