Kiev Prop Angle

[HS-JAT]

For those of you running a Kiev 293 prop with a Rotax 912....

What pitch degree are you running? What have you tried before? Thoughts?

Mine is set to 10 deg, and would like to try some other angles.

[Trilander Ted]

I'm running my prop at about twelve and one half degrees---about the max setting I'm at 450MSL for my home airport. I had it set at eleven and one half for a long time and like it better now. I have used it at 6500MSL and it's to much "bite" for hot days. Gil T. might chime in, he has conventional gear, I'm tri gear. Trilander Ted

[taildrgfun]

I have noticed that the Kiev gauges don't all read alike.

[Gil T]

Twelve and a half is probably a good starting point. I know I had to tweak it a little bit to get the RPM I wanted. Right now its set at WOT static 4850 and 5775 level flight. With that I get in the air fast and can top 110 if I want to burn the gas. I think what were looking for is where we want the RPM to end up. When I asked Phil Lockwood if that was a good range for the engine his comment was "If your happy with the performance it sounds good". I just dug up the paper that came with the prop. It says " Rotax 912 12 degrees and up for a starting point".

Gil T

[HS-JAT]

Thanks everyone with the information you provided.

The Kiev instructions that I downloaded from their website said the following...

7. Set the reference scale on the protractor
to the recommended arbitrary starting point
and clamp in place.
Typical ROTAX starting points:
912UL, between 9 and 10
912ULS, between 11 and 14,
Due to variations more adjustments are
usually required to dial in the “perfect”
pitch setting.

Nice to hear some street truth on what you guys are finding seems to suit your aircraft and desires. I think I will give 12.5 a start, and see how the RPMs work out. I am generally taking off from Sea Level, but with the heat in the 30-40C range, and the high humidity, I am probably at around 3-3500ft density altitude.

[Just Aircraft NZ Ltd]

We've been setting up a Kiev prop on a new 914.

We started at twelve degrees but are now down to nine and a half and getting about 5100 rpm static.

Will knock another half off and see what that does !

Anyone else set up a 914 ?

Cheers

[HS-JAT]

I finally wound up setting mine (912 ULS) at 11 deg. Normally with the heat, Sea Level works out to be about 3,000 ft DA.

I am able to eek out 5200 rpm on Take Off. Still climbs great, and gained at least 10kts in cruise.

[taildrgfun]

Ronnie Smith told me in no uncertain terms that the turbocharged Rotax's need to turn at least 5700 static WOT. It's ok on the non-turboed motors to have lower rpm's than that and not hurt them. Even 5400 is lugging a turbo motor at WOT and 40 inches of manifold pressure. It is OK to cruise at lower RPM's, but it is not OK at all to be below 5700 when full throttle.

[Just Aircraft NZ Ltd]

Yeah Steve, we are coming to that conclusion too. The way it is now, we can't get the MP above 34". Not enough so we'll fine it up and tie it to the fence and see what it does. I s'pose we'll just have to watch out for an 'over boost' on take-off.