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German Company Conducts Tests of the World’s First 11-Blade Propeller. The Aircraft Used Was the Piper PA31T1, Equipped with Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A Turbines.
According to the developer MT-Propeller in a press release, the world’s first 11-blade propeller successfully completed its first test flight, marking another innovation for the developer that has previously made five, seven, and nine-blade propellers. The equipment is used to convert the rotational energy of the engine into thrust or propulsion force.
11-Blade Propeller Tests on an Aircraft
The thrust produced by the propeller is proportional to the blade area, while the number of blades determines the thrust pulses the aircraft produces for each revolution of the propeller. MT-Propeller, founded in 1981 by Gerd Muhlbauer, has over 27 certified propeller designs to its credit, which can be combined with more than 220 designs of aerodynamic blades.
The company claims to provide propellers for over 90% of the aircraft manufactured in Europe that use a piston engine or turbine. In September of this year, MT-Propeller tested its 11-blade propeller design on the Piper PA31T1 model, equipped with Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A turbines. The first flight ascended into the skies with an impressive noise and sound signature, according to the company in its statement.
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The small twin-engine aircraft took to the skies as if a jet were taking off. The propeller design team claims that there was a 15% increase in static thrust with the new propeller compared to the 5-blade propellers manufactured by the same company.
The developers estimate that the propeller system, along with a low-rotation power source, could generate new possibilities for performance, noise, and efficiency. The low-rotation power source could be a turbine or even an electric motor.
MT-Propeller Is Responsible for Several Innovations in Aviation
The company has a rich history in the development of the world’s first multi-blade propellers. Nearly 20 years ago, the manufacturer based in Atting, Germany, received certification for its 5-blade reversible propeller.
The turbine-driven composite propeller from the company powers the Pilatus PC12, the fastest single-engine production aircraft. The 5-blade propellers from MT have lower vibration and noise levels and quickly became the industry standard in aviation.
These are used in an extensive list of aircraft, such as Cessna 425 Series, Piper Cheyenne PA 42-1000, Piper Cheyenne PA31T and T1, and Cessna 208 Caravan.
In 2016, the company completed the first flight of the world’s first seven-blade propellers on a General Aviation aircraft. The design was extensively tested and certified in 2020. As early as 2019, the company initiated the testing program for the world’s first nine-blade propeller, which has shown promise in the development of future low-noise, high-performance aircraft.
It is also expected that the aircraft will provide fuel savings compared to jet engines. With such a rich history of world-class innovations, MT-Propeller is also expected to deliver interesting results with its 11-blade propeller.
Meet MT-Propeller
MT-Propeller operates from its headquarters at Straubing-Wall Muehle Airport (EDMS) in Germany, where highly qualified individuals are developing the highest quality natural composite propellers. For customers in the United States and Canada, the company has an MT-Propeller Service Center in DeLand, Florida, and various authorized service stations worldwide.
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