Wild West Aircraft

For general discussion of the Just Aircraft family of aircraft.
Includes: Highlander, Escapade, Summit and SuperSTOL.
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taildrgfun
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Location: Nampa Idaho

Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

I ran a 2 blade Prince during the competition at Oshkosh because at the time that was still the best pulling propeller that I owned. Since then I have gotten a new NR prop that works even better than the Prince. It makes more thrust plus it is ground adjustable and it also makes a really good cruise prop. I have not been much of a fan of three blade props until I change the gearing on my Yamaha and got this new prop. I have a two blade hub and a three blade hub and it actually makes more thrust as a three blade which really really surprised me. It is 79 inches and very scimitar shaped, and it's totally made of carbon fiber. Three blades, the hub and a spinner all weigh only 9 pounds.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
av8rps
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by av8rps »

Hi Steve,

I've got to ask, what is a NR prop?

Paul
Copro
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by Copro »

It's the same as these guys.

http://www.lugaprop.kiev.ua/catalog_en.html

I ordered a prop from here as well. He didn't have the 79" available when I ordered.

Took about 6 weeks to get it.
av8rps
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by av8rps »

Interesting info on tbat prop. I never heard of it until now. I have a 3 blade ground adjust Sensenich carbon fiber prop for a 912 that looks a lot like those blades.
Gardlander
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by Gardlander »

Copro wrote:It's the same as these guys.

http://www.lugaprop.kiev.ua/catalog_en.html

I ordered a prop from here as well. He didn't have the 79" available when I ordered.

Took about 6 weeks to get it.

Are you satisfied with the propeller ? Which blade did you choose ? Scimitar SR83/SR106 or classic ? I have a 912ULS and would like a good STOL propeller.
SuperStol #385 Norway
Flying next year
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

It has been a while since I've been on here. To answer TD1 question over a month ago yes the lower geared PSRU did make a three blade more efficient than the two blade. It really surprised me because as far as I can remember this is the first time I've ever seen a three blade make more thrust than a two blade on any of my airplanes.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
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MN Snowy1
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by MN Snowy1 »

Steve, do you find a two blade easier to start than a 3 blade? (less total mmoi)
KITFOX 5 (YAMAHA GENESIS RX-1), Full Lotus Floats
Flying spring 2018 (Hopefully!)
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

My Yamaha can be very hard to start unless it has a small, light and low MMOI prop. Small props don't work for me so I run a centrifical clutch and it starts great with any prop.

Today I was trying different pitch settings on my prop to see what will work best in the Stol Drag race coming up in Nevada next month at the High Sierra Fly-in. My Wild West Yamaha Highlander works SO WELL sometimes I feel slightly guilty that really no one else gets to experience flying it like I do. Today I was taking off from a dead stop and then flying about 5 to 10 feet high like we do in the Stol Drag race, then chopping the power and throwing the plane as sideways as possible to scrub all the speed possible in the shortest distance to land ¾ of a mile from where I took off from. Several times I was going 115 mph in that short distance when I pulled the power. What an awesome airplane that is such a blast to fly.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
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SheepdogRD
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by SheepdogRD »

Now if you just had some big Fowler flaps to hang out there... any thoughts about those?

Any thoughts about what else you'd modify once the Yamaha is dialed in?
Richard Holtz
Highlander N570L -- Ms. Tonka -- in gestation

If just enough is really good, then too much ought to be perfect.
Clark in AZ
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Location: Cave Creek, AZ

Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by Clark in AZ »

taildrgfun wrote:I ran a 2 blade Prince during the competition at Oshkosh because at the time that was still the best pulling propeller that I owned. Since then I have gotten a new NR prop that works even better than the Prince. It makes more thrust plus it is ground adjustable and it also makes a really good cruise prop. I have not been much of a fan of three blade props until I change the gearing on my Yamaha and got this new prop. I have a two blade hub and a three blade hub and it actually makes more thrust as a three blade which really really surprised me. It is 79 inches and very scimitar shaped, and it's totally made of carbon fiber. Three blades, the hub and a spinner all weigh only 9 pounds.
Hey Steve,

What/Who is an "NR" prop? Just curious. Thanks and good luck at High Sierra...

Clark
Building SuperSTOL Kit 512
Cave Creek, AZ
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

Yes I have thought many times about making some kind of fowler flap for my Highlander. The main reason I have not done that is because I really try to stick with easy modifications that anyone could do on the Highlander without too much knowledge or effort.

NR prop is made in the Ukraine by Luga Prop. I tried several of his propellers and I liked them but they were all too short so I had him make me a 79 inch semitar and wow does it work on my Yamaha!! I would like to try one of these on a Rotax but my Yamaha turns the prop the opposite direction. He does make a 78 inch classic style blade that I have tried on the Rotax and I like it as a two blade prop. It seems to perform as well as a two blade Prince and it cost less and is ground adjustable.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
Clark in AZ
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by Clark in AZ »

Thanks Steve. Would you mind saying how much that 79" custom prop cost? How did you determine 79" to be the correct length? Just trying to learn something here...

Thanks again,
Clark
Building SuperSTOL Kit 512
Cave Creek, AZ
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MN Snowy1
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by MN Snowy1 »

I just got a quote back from Luga today on prop prices:

SL 107 72" 2 blade ccw (left turning) $535 shipped

SL 118 New design, thanks to Steve (ONCE AGAIN!!) 79" 2 blade ccw $640 shipped.
KITFOX 5 (YAMAHA GENESIS RX-1), Full Lotus Floats
Flying spring 2018 (Hopefully!)
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MN Snowy1
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by MN Snowy1 »

Oh, and with invaluable help from Steve amd Teal Jenkins, I am installing an RX-1 in my Kitfox.

For anyone looking for tidbits on the RX-1, or who can post and help me with my repower, stop by my build thread over on AvidFoxFlyers:

http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php? ... -kitfox-5/

THANK YOU AGAIN STEVE AND TEAL FOR BREAKING THE ICE FOR ALL OF US WHO WANT YAMAHA POWER BUT DO NOT HAVE THE SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO MAKE IT HAPPEN OURSELVES!!!

(A little video I did showing off the Skytrax RX-1)

https://youtu.be/bN791FbHGy4

Brett in Minnesota
KITFOX 5 (YAMAHA GENESIS RX-1), Full Lotus Floats
Flying spring 2018 (Hopefully!)
TD1
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by TD1 »

Mr. Henry took second in the High Sierra Fly In STOL Drags last weekend. Had to go to the video (photo finish) to determine it was so close, he had stopped first but his tail wheel hit the ground a fraction of a second after the Carbon Cub. Nearly winning it back to back as the defending champion. Pretty cool. An incredible group of skillful pilots!

Congrats to the winner, Mark Patey in his Carbon Cub. Trent Palmer and his Kitfox (Freedom Fox) came in 3rd. Great job of flying!

Very interesting the Highlander and Kitfox more than holding their own against the quarter million dollar toys. A tribute to these lil' planes that could.....

Congrats Steve! (looked like the Beringer gear got some clothing?)
Tom Dougherty
Kahului, HI
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