Kiev prop

[Slyfox]

I'm really spoiled to what I have here. Great weather (well not today) and great variety of landscapes. Must be why I fly between 300-400 hrs a years.

[jtpitkin06]

I’m a bit puzzled by your posting and the statement the Kiev didn’t perform as well as your Warp Drive.

Maybe I’m just not reading your post correctly. Help me understand the numbers.

You gave a report for three pitch settings on the Kiev and only one pitch setting for the Warp.

KIEV:
(1) 12 degrees pitch, 4800 static,100mph at 5000rpm,5500 max throttle
(2) 11 " " , 5000 " , 90 ' " " ,5800 " "
(3) 10 " " , 5200 " , 80 " " " ,would exceed 5800

WARP:
(1) 5200 static,90mph at 5000 rpm,5700 full throttle

Your Kiev prop with 11 degree setting gave a speed equal to the Warp Drive with lower RPM of 5000, yet still had low enough pitch to produce 5800 RPM at full throttle. This would indicate you had reserve power available at high RPM.

Your numbers also indicate 12 degrees was too much, so if you compromise with a pitch at 11.5 degrees you would be getting a higher cruise speed at 5200 and perhaps a maximum of 5700 at full throttle.

From the way I see the data, your Kiev prop actually performed better at 5000 RPM than the warp drive at 5200 RPM.



John Pitkin
Greenville, Texas

[catz631]

John,
The minimum static/take off rpm required by Rotax (per service bulletin ) is 5200 rpm. By setting the pitch setting on the Kiev prop to acheive this I got less than 80 mph @ 5000 rpm in cruise. The Warp gave me 5300 static and about 88 mph in cruise at 5000 rpm. So in fact the Kiev achieved almost 10mph slower cruise speed. The Kiev prop I first received was not correct for my engine and I sold it to a friend for his 100hp Paradise. They are getting better results from the Kiev.
However,I purchased and now have mounted the correct Kiev for my engine. It is about 3 inches shorter in diameter . When set at the proper 5200 static the performance is about the same to slightly less then my Warp as far as speed goes. (close enough) That is not the only factor however. Besides its beauty it is increadibly smooth,like a turbine. It is over a pound lighter and appears to have solved my "run on " problem with my engine. When I would shut the engine down on occasion the engine would turn backwards for several revolutions requiring me to inspect the clearances on the valves for air in the lifters. This is a real pain !! and was driving me nuts as it happened several times. So there are more factors than just cruise speed.
I feel the reason I am not getting the increased speed is because of the radial cowl. The twist on the Kiev prop starts earlier than the Warp. I believe it is forcing alot more air into the cowl and that causes more drag. My oil temp confirms that as the oil cooler is close to the hub and the temp is now about 10 - 15 degrees cooler than it was (same temp conditions) due to the increased airflow. With a smooth cowl it would appear that more airflow would go around it thus less drag and more speed.
As mentioned earlier ,my neighbor keeps commenting on how much quieter the Kiev is vs the Warp ,on take off.
Overall I am very happy with the Kiev. It's a beautiful thing and sure compliments the airplane I think. And at least so far, when I shut the engine down I don't have to worry about it turning backwards.
Dick Maddux
Fox 4
912UL (80 hp, 2.27 gear ratio)

[Slyfox]

Hello me again. Sure seems that the kiev prop is ineffecient. I have no oil heat problems, I cruise at a real fast speed, if I want that. If I want slower I pull the power way back and flatten the prop, now I sip the fuel and go your speed. I recently helped a guy in montana put on the IVO ultralight on his 90 ul engine like yours and he gained 30mph, he was running the speeds you have now. The only comment back from him was holy crap. Smoothness, well I balanced my prop on the aircraft and wow! what a difference, smooth as silk. Quit, I fly over my house and my wife says she never hears me, we live within 5 miles from the airport, so my house is on the way out on take off. So I guess my prop is quit as well. But than again, I can care less what others think of how noisy I am. I have to say, I cleaned my prop last night of bugs and I think my prop is pretty as you call it. I'll say it again, I love my IVO, especially when I take off out of a back country stip, like this weekend, I'll be fully loaded with the wife going into johnson creek in idaho. ya baby.

[catz631]

Well now you are making me feel bad Steve. You have started an itch. Even though I still think the Ivo is butt ugly its not that exspensive but then I also have my original Warp.( maybe I could start a prop shop) But then there is also EBAY. I could just as easily put my Kiev on the wall instead of the Warp and experiment with the IVO,maybe sell it if I wasn't happy with it.( with my luck I would loose even more speed) I don't know I am still early on into my Kiev but maybe . Hmmmmmm !
By the way I have never had any hot oil or CHT problems with any of the props. The problem is keeping it warm. I have air blocks on both my oil cooler and coolant radiators even in this god awful 97 degree heat. The even cooler oil temp I am getting was mentioned as an indicator of more ram air being shoved into my cowl by the increased twist of the Kiev.
Do you have a spinner on your IVO ?
Dick