Steve Boser, Managing Partner and Director of Sales and Marketing for Sensenich Propellers, presented an update on propellers for light sport, experimental, and general aviation aircraft at the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, giving crowds a peek at what's to come.
Sensenich has been making propellers for more than 95 years, starting in Pennsylvania with wooden props for Piper Cubs and Taylorcraft. Production of all props is now all done in central Florida, both in Lakeland and Plant City.
The company has been making composite propellers since the late 1990s with ground adjustable pitch that allows tuning the prop load to the engine torque and aircraft mission and gives the flexibility to change as needed along with easy to use gauges to set the blade angle for most models.
The company makes STOL and Sport propellers for Light Sport and Experimental aircraft including bushplanes, which Boser said have been very much in demand in recent years. Sensenich makes an extensive line of props for Lycoming, Continental, and ULPower engines as well as for tractor and pusher configurations.
Those prop designs can be incorporated into the composite props that received FAA certification for the props in 2022 after a five-year effort.
The 82” two-blade adjustable prop saves weight and adds performance, and the company has STCs for Super Cubs and PA-12 and PA-14 aircraft as well as other aircraft of similar performance. Sensenich also has an STC for the Cessna 172, a 76” two-blade adjustable pitch composite prop that works on the 180 hp series Lycoming O-360 and IO-360 engines that shaves 13 lbs off the OEM weight and includes a carbon fiber spinner.
For the future, Sensenich continues to make wood and metal propellers for classic, experimental, and flight training markets as well as more STCs in the works for Cessna, Piper, and other popular aircraft. The company also has a new propeller family in certification for classic aircraft under 120 hp, and is doing a lot of prototyping for the eVTOL market.
