Hartzell Propeller Inc. announced on Tuesday that its blended-airfoil propeller system for the Adam Aircraft A500 centerline-twin has passed the final hurdle for certification on the aircraft. A recent FAA regulation requires all new pusher-propeller installations, such as the aft propeller on the Adam A500, to ingest airframe ice shed during an inadvertent icing encounter without causing a hazardous condition, Hartzell said. The newly designed test used a compressed-gas gun at the University of Dayton Impact Physics Lab to shoot softball-sized ice balls at the propeller at speeds up to 520 miles per hour. This test simulated a long section of wing-leading-edge ice striking the propeller blade at the most critical position, angle and velocity, Hartzell said. The propeller passed the test, making the A500 the first production aircraft to have passed such a test. In October 2004, Adam Aircraft was expecting the first customer deliveries of its A500 push/pull twin before the end of the year.
…Adam Propeller Passes Test
Key Takeaways:
- Hartzell Propeller's blended-airfoil system for the Adam A500 centerline-twin has passed its final certification hurdle.
- The certification involved a new FAA regulation requiring pusher propellers to safely ingest airframe ice shed during icing encounters.
- The propeller passed a unique test using a compressed-gas gun to shoot softball-sized ice balls at speeds up to 520 mph.
- The Adam A500 is the first production aircraft to successfully pass this rigorous ice ingestion test.
See a mistake? Contact us.
