Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Propeller Feathering
Feathering is the procedure to change the pitch angle of the propeller.
Feathering of a propeller blade is necessary when an engine fails or whenever it is
necessary to shut off one engine. A pressure of air on the face & back of the feather blade is
equal and propeller will stop rotating.
If not feathered the propeller incase of failed engine will windmill & will create an
excessive drag which is dangerous to the flight.
A feathered propeller creates less resistance (less drag) and disturbances in the flow of
air over the wings & the tail.
It also eliminates vibration which might damage the structure very badly.
Feathering also prevents further damage to the failed engine. It is to be seen that a
feathered blade is in an approximately in line of the flight position (streamline with lines of
flight).
Aerofoil:
An aerofoil is a surface designed to obtain a desirable reaction from the air through
which it is moves. Thus we can say that any part of the A/c which converts its air resistance into
a force useful for a flight profile.
The blades of a propeller so designed that when they rotate, their shape & position
causes a higher pressure to be built in behind them than in front of them so that they pull the
A/c forward.
Auto feathering:
This system is used to automatically feather the failed engines propeller which will
present excess drag from the failed engine during a flight region.
This is normally used during takeoff and landing. If the engine torque falls below as
certain value the torque pressure s/w through an arming relay provides an electrical supply
through a dump valve.
Dump valve is mounted on a propeller over speed governor & will bypass the governor
oil pressure through the propeller if the system is activated. This will cause the propeller to
feather to the desired angle.
Because of engine failure it disables the other engines auto feathering cct that means it
cannot be auto feathered.
When the system is armed or activated through the power lever s/w's with 90% of the
engine speed. The s/w is made & provides a supply to 400 Ib ft torque s/w. If the right engine
fails its arming relay is armed as the engine torque drops below 200 Ib ft. torque s/w is made to
complete an electrical ground to the dump valve cct. Then the dump valve roots away the
governor oil & the propeller gets feathered at the same time the left engine auto feathering
system is disabled & the indicator lights goes out.