Hartzell’s popular five-blade carbon-fiber composite propeller now is available for Piper’s Meridian and M500 single-engine pressurized turboprops, the companies announced this week. “Hartzell’s new Meridian composite prop boosts climb rate while decreasing noise,” said Hartzell President Joe Brown. The blades are certified for unlimited life and are 5 to 10 times stronger than wood core blades, according to the company. They feature a stainless steel shank, nickel cobalt leading edge and mesh erosion screen for FOD protection. The prop is 15 pounds lighter than the current factory-installed aluminum four-blade propeller.
The propeller, first introduced in 2013, is also available on Socata’s TBM turboprop and the Pilatus PC-12. The prop’s performance is driven by both the aerodynamic design and the high-strength materials, the company says. “Hartzell’s five-blade propellers provide lower in-flight vibration,” according to the company. “Through optimized aerodynamic design, the low-end performance is coupled with improved cruise performance. The larger surface area and blockage effect of five-blade propellers provide quicker descents resulting in smoother touchdowns with less float.”
