MT Flight-Tests Propeller With 11 Blades On A Piper Cheyenne

Company developed experimental prop for use with turbine and electric power systems.

MT-Propeller said it flight-tested a propeller with 11 blades as part of a continuing program to advance propeller technology and efficiency. While you might think the new product would look great on the nose of your Piper Saratoga, MT designed it with turbine and electric power systems in mind.

For the tests, the German company said it mounted the propeller on the right side of a Piper PA-31T1 powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A turbine engines. When the aircraft flew, MT said, the new propeller generated “an impressive noise and sound signature.”

Among the test results was a 15 percent increase in static thrust compared with the standard certified 5-blade propeller. The company said the power system als showed promise in terms of cutting engine and prop noise.

The company said the new propeller, which is still in the development stage, “combined with a low rpm power supply from a turbine or an electric engine opens new possibilities for performance, efficiency and noise.”

It is unclear whether MT plans to apply for a supplemental type certificate for the propeller. The company has experimented with numerous prop configurations in recent years, including a 9-blade model tested on the Cheyenne in 2019.