A new "blended" airfoil scimitar prop is available for the Bonanza and Debonair. Check out the Top Prop™ photo guide section for more information.

The best prop for your aircraft depends on the application and performance you expect. Read more.

“The improved thrust on the runway is very noticeable with the new Hartzell propeller. Not only does my aircraft takeoff and climb faster, but I also experience a lot less vibration and lower noise levels in the cabin.” Read what other converted Top Prop Pilots have to say.

Two-bladed Top Prop™ for Beech Barons powered by IO-470 offers improved maintenance and TBO at a lower cost. 

“The improved thrust on the runway is very noticeable with the new Hartzell propeller. Not only does my aircraft takeoff and climb faster, but I also experience a lot less vibration and lower noise levels in the cabin.” Tom Kieffer, Eden Prairie, Minn,  member of the Malibu Mirage Owners and Pilots Association (MMOPA) and operator of a 1989 Mirage.

“The airplane is tremendously faster out of the water ... the climb is also improved, and I believe that I can get more speed with lower fuel burn during cruise. Elimination of the restricted arc on the tachometer is also a plus.” Mr. Patrick Shier, Auke Bay, Alaska, Cessna 170, new 80-inch diameter Top Prop™

"On takeoff roll, the acceleration is much quicker ... the rate of climb is outstanding and the propeller conversion definitely is much quieter in the cockpit. I certainly can state that I probably have picked up some 2-4 knots." Ed Buford, Dallas, Texas, Mooney, PRIVATE PILOT magazine, January, 1990

"The Benders noted significant reductions in noise and vibration with the three-bladed prop and consider the improvements in speed and increased flexibility of cruise power settings to be well worth the investment." PRIVATE PILOT magazine, January, 1990, Piper Arrow

"The takeoff roll seems shorter, the aircraft seems to climb better, the noise level at cruise is quieter and the vibration is improved tremendously with the three-bladed Hartzells." Allan Stallings, Jackson, Mississippi, Beech Baron

"With my new Hartzell propeller I’ve noticed an increase in climb from 500-600 Feet per minute to 700-750 feet per minute as well as a 200-250 feet shorter takeoff roll making it a pretty good short runway aircraft." Jim Barrett, Baltimore, Maryland, Cessna Cardinal

More Blades EQUALS More Performance

Maximizing the efficiency of aircraft with the lower horsepower and higher RPMs of smaller piston engines would usually call for fewer blades. Unfortunately, two-bladed props have some inherent disadvantages.

For starters, they’re louder. Propellers are the source of most of the noise generated by an aircraft. And two-bladers are often larger in diameter, resulting in nearly supersonic tip speeds ... and dramatically increased noise levels. Refinement of propeller airfoil design can also reduce noise levels to a more comfortable level.

Two-bladers are also more prone to vibration. Two blades create two large pulses of thrust compared to a three-blader’s three smaller, smoother pulses. Two-blades often provide less ground tip clearance which leads to more nicks and scratches on the blades. And as the size of the engine increases ... requiring more blade area to effectively absorb the increased power ... two-bladed props must become unconventionally long and heavy.

The Propeller That’s Best For Your Aircraft Depends On The Type Of Performance You’re Looking For.
In long-range applications like the nonstop around the world flight of Voyager, noise, vibration, acceleration, climb and ground tip clearance were not flight priorities. Extreme cruise efficiency with minimal weight were. The result of these priorities was a two-bladed Hartzell design that helped to maximize endurance.

For very high altitude applications like the world record holding flight of the Boeing Condor, very large but extremely lightweight Hartzell composite three-bladed props were utilized to generate thrust in the thin air of 66,000 plus feet.

Applications involving most Beechcraft, Cessna, Mooney, Piper and other general aviation aircraft are quite different. Here performance in every category is desirable and all of these factors must be part of the propeller’s design.

With the help of today’s powerful computers and the experience of more than 300 proven Hartzell propeller blade designs (more than any other manufacturer in the world), it is possible to take the inherent advantages of a prop with more blades ... less noise and vibration plus greater acceleration and climb ... and often match or improve the cruise performance that used to be the privileged domain of props with fewer blades.

Hartzell Is At The Forefront Of This Effort.
Hartzell has been in business since 1917 when it built its first walnut props for the Wright Brothers in nearby Dayton and for Glen Curtiss’ brand new Jenny. From that auspicious beginning, Hartzell has set time to altitude records with the Army Air Force Scouts in the 1920s, barnstormed with the Wacos in the 1930s, developed general aviation’s first controllable pitch props for Cessna’s 310, as well as the industry’s first reversing propeller for Beech’s turboprop King Air.

Today Hartzell is designing and building six-bladed composite props for the next generation of regional airliners.

And through its Top Prop conversion program, Hartzell is providing a way for the pilots of a large portion of the existing general aviation fleet to significantly improve the performance of their aircraft.

To date, literally thousands of pilots have converted with Hartzell props ... all of which include the ironclad Plus Three™ warranty. It provides pilots with an industry leading three years or 1,000 hours of total coverage. Hartzell Top Prop pilots also enjoy the longest TBO standards in the industry (2,400 hours/6 years).

Kits for more than 50 different aircraft makes and models are currently available with more on the horizon. So if you’re interested in discovering exactly what a new Hartzell prop can do for your aircraft, call 1-800-942-PROP today. In the meantime, take a look on the next page at what some of these 1,000 plus pilots are saying about their high performance propeller conversion and what it’s meant for their flying.