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Variable pitch propellers allow pilots to adjust engine speed and blade position for optimal thrust. They improve aircraft and ship performance and were first used in aircraft in 1910, with demand increasing during World War II.
Variable pitch propellers allow the pilot to adjust the position of the propellers and engine speed for any situation while flying, while maintaining the most efficient thrust from the engine. The basic design of variable pitch propellers serves a number of different purposes. The constant speed propeller allows the pilot to choose the desired revolutions per minute (RPM). RPM is maintained by the angle or pitch of the propeller blades during flight. A full feather propeller allows one propeller to reach a very high pitch when one engine fails on a twin-engine aircraft.
Most prop planes use variable pitch propellers. A pilot can “feather” the propellers while on the ground to prepare for takeoff without creating thrust. Once airborne, and as the pilot increases power, the blade angle adjusts to the RPM setting. At cruise altitude, the propeller pitch can be decreased while maintaining the desired RPM. Both features improve the performance and efficiency of the aircraft.
Controllable propellers also allow ships at sea to conserve fuel. Variable pitch propellers increase the maneuverability of the boat whether moving forward or backward. The position of the blades can be adjusted to the weight of the cargo carried on the ship, unlike a fixed pitch propeller.
The first idea for a variable-pitch propeller arose in France before the Wright brothers got off the ground in 1903. Several aircraft designers recognized the advantage of a propeller that could change engine thrust without changing propeller speed. Early variable pitch propeller systems improved aircraft performance, but the benefit was not significant enough to generate widespread interest in the invention.
It was not until 1910 that the first variable pitch propeller was used on aircraft to allow rapid slowdown and reversal of motion. Although the design was suitable for ships, the technology was not considered safe enough for aircraft. At that time, fixed propellers served adequately because the planes flew at relatively low speeds. As the improved aircraft design increased air speed and altitude, the demand for variable pitch propellers grew.
World War II accelerated demand. Engineers from various countries began to refine the design of propellers for use in military and commercial aircraft. In the early 1930s, variable-pitch propellers were fitted to the first commercial Boeing 247 airliner. The improvements in the ship’s takeoff, cruise, and climbing speed were so impressive that variable-pitch propellers were added to the aircraft. aircraft internationally. The angle of the propellers is changed hydraulically to maintain the desired RPM during flight.
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