How would a airplane propeller without twist stall at the blade tip as airspeed increases?
Asked by: jb7 5686 views General Aviation
In the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, pages 6-4 and 6-5 state: "A propeller blade designed with the same angle of incidence throughout its entire length would be inefficient because as airspeed increases in flight, the portion near the hub would have a negative angle of attack while the blade tip would be stalled." As I've come to understand this somewhat recently, the relative airflow, with regards to the propeller, is a combination of the rotational speed of the propeller and the forward movement of the aircraft. So, as the airspeed (the forward movement of the aircraft) increases, the angle of attack of the propeller decreases. Conversely, as the RPM (the rotational speed of the propeller) increases, the angle of attack of the propeller increases. I understand that the portion of the propeller near the hub could eventually have a negative angle of attack as airspeed increases. What I don't understand is how the blade tip would be stalled if the AOA continues to decrease. Could anyone explain this to me? Thank you.
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