Please pass on to those who are using the Warp Drive NSI VP prop.
I have now about 120 hours on my NSI prop and Andreas (kit 133) has also clo
se to 100 hours on his NSI prop. We are both very satisfied with the operati
on of the prop, its high manufacturing standard and its easy installation. T
ake of run / climb / and top speed all improved by about 10%. (200m / 900ft/
m / 140kt) We had the props dynamically balanced by the "Katana" factory whi
ch results in a very smooth running.
We both had one technical incident which we would like to report because we
believe it could affect all those with the NSI prop.:
During the take off check Andreas's prop couldn't be actuated and remained i
n fine pitch and the red pitch stop warning light came on immediately when t
ouching the switch. The spinner was removed and the motor housing also remov
ed. Both electrical wires from the electrical motor to the hub where badly d
amaged on their base. After removing the motor/gear combination from the hub
x to the aluminium support block from behind where completely loose which en
abled the electrical motor/gear to turn on itself and damaging the wires.
I checked immediately my prop and after removing the motor housing found out
that also here the motor/gear was not firmly fixed on its support but had s
ome play. After removing the motor/gear from the hub I discovered that also
here two of four the small screws where loose by three or four threads and t
he two others by one or two threads. (however, the four small screws which a
re holding the motor on the gear box where all tight, on both props)
Those little screws are not secured in any way (no Loctite, no washers, no s
afety wire, no cover) and have room to get loose and even to fall out.
A fix of this should be found urgently and all current users should be advis
ed to check this before the next flight.
We have now secured those four little screws with Loctite (and changed the e
lectrical wires on one prop). We have also found that the bend radius of th
e electrical wire where it comes out of the hub and bends around the support
block of the electrical motor is too sharp. The wire can get damaged by the
edge of the support block which is extremely sharp.
We have filed now this edge so to have a smoother radius on the support bloc
k where the wires are passing.
Hope this is clear and will be of help.
Safe flying
Klaus (OE-CKD)
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