Quote:
Originally Posted by edgemar
What do more blades on the propeller do for performance?
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They can absorb more power, converting it to thrust.
A larger-diameter two-blade prop would be more efficient, except for two issues:
1) The prop must have adequate ground clearance.
Not an issue for the Bronco, but also need clearance from the fuselage.
Moving the engines outboard to allow larger props also creates unacceptable asymmetric thrust if one engine is inoperative.
2) If the tips of the prop exceed mach 1, efficiency suffers dramatically.
-Also, if the tips exceed mach 1, the noise level increases tremendously.
This is why the typical light airplane uses a large displacement, direct drive engine that redlines around 2700 rpm or so. A six foot diameter prop at 2700 rpm is just below supersonic tip speeds.