The FAA has granted Hartzell Propeller a supplemental type certificate that permits installation of a Bantam series three-blade propeller on diesel-powered Cessna 172s.
The recently type-certificated Bantam props are a series of small, lightweight propellers, with swept, high-performance airfoils and a thin, wide chord. The STC permits installation of the three-bladed Bantam with carbon-fiber structural composite blades, a composite spinner, and a total weight of 35.5 pounds, on Cessna Skyhawks powered by a Centurion diesel engine, said Piqua, Ohio-based Hartzell in an announcement on its website.
Hartzell described the pairing of the Centurion diesel engine and the Bantam three-bladed propeller as an "unbeatable" combination.
"Geared diesel engines, like the Centurion and the Austro Engine AE-300, require an ultra lightweight, slow turning propeller with a higher blade count because the airframes they power are extremely weight-sensitive," said Gary Chafin, Hartzell Propeller’s vice president of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Sales and Product Support. "The combination of Hartzell’s Bantam propellers and the Centurion engines in Cessna Skyhawks will prove to be an unbeatable combination for all operators, including flight schools."
The prop approved for use on diesel Skyhawks has a recommended 2,400 hour time between overhauls, and comes with a three-year or 1,000-hour warranty.
