MT-Propeller's Silent 7, the first seven-bladed propeller for general aviation, has received STC from the FAA on the Pilatus PC-12 powered by the Pratt & Whitney P&WC PT6A-67B or PT6A-67P propeller turbine.
The Silent 7 offers a level of comfort and performance that MT says has not yet been experienced on a turboprop.
When starting to develop the propeller in 2016, MT-Propeller had the same vision as in 1999 when it came up with the first five-bladed propeller for turboprops. The five-bladed prop became an industrial standard with more than 2,500 propellers sold for various kinds of turboprops, and it is still an ongoing success story. The seven-bladed propeller is pushing new limits for certain applications to go beyond the achievement of the five-bladed propellers.
MT-Propeller VP Martin Albrecht says that the installation of the seven-bladed MT-Propeller on the propeller turbine driven aircraft PC-12 features the following advantages: no engine modifications necessary; certified ground roll distance reduced by approximately 10 per cent; AFMS amended; certified takeoff distance over 50 ft obstacle reduced by approximately 15 per cent; AFMS amended; climb performance improved, aircraft noise level is about 4 dB(A) less than with the original metal propeller; cabin noise is reduced by 6 to 7 dB(A) depending on location; and the installation complies with the strict German 2010 Landeplatz Lärmschutz Verordnung noise regulations for unrestricted airport operations in Germany and other European countries.
Due to the smaller diameter the seven-bladed MT-Propeller for the Pilatus PC-12 has more ground clearance for less blade tip erosion and FODs. The MT-Propeller natural composite blades provide significant inside and outside noise reduction. They have no life limitation and are repairable in case of an FOD.
They also provide the best vibration damping characteristics for almost vibration free propeller operation and have bonded on nickel alloy leading edges for superior erosion protection of the blades.