German company MT-Propeller, manufacturer of composite propellers for single- and twin-engine aircraft, has successfully completed the first flight test of an innovative eleven-bladed propeller, developed for use in conjunction with turbines and electric propulsion systems, on a Piper Cheyenne aircraft. It is the first such device in the world.
In a press release, the company said the test was «part of an ongoing programme to advance propeller technology and efficiency».
The aircraft, a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne equipped with two P&W PT6A-135A engines and the world’s first eleven-bladed propeller, successfully completed its first air tests. «The very promising results in static thrust, 15% increase over the standard certified five-bladed propeller, and the jet-noise signature showed another time what could be possible in the propeller developments,» the company stated.
For the manufacturer, «this propeller system combined with a low rpm power supply from a turbine or an electric engine opens new possibilities for performance, efficiency and noise».
Experience in developing new propellers
MT-Propeller has a rich history of developing innovative multi-bladed propellers. In 2004, the manufacturer obtained certification for its five-bladed reversing-capable propeller on the Shorts Skyvan SC-7.
In October 2016, the company’s team of engineers and pilots successfully completed the initial test of the world’s first seven-bladed propeller, which it named «Silent 7», also on a Piper Cheyenne. The device was certified in February 2020.
The company currently supplies two-, three-, four- and five-bladed propellers to around 90% of new turboprops manufactured in Europe, as well as to around 30% of those manufactured in the United States.
