Title: Describe constant and variable-speed propeller operations.
Course: Aircraft Pilot Training II (20053-II) > Section: Understanding Aircraft Performance

Description should include the following:

- A propeller with fixed blade angles is a fixed-pitch propeller. The pitch of this propeller is set by the manufacturer and cannot be changed.
- Since a fixed-pitch propeller achieves the best efficiency only at a given combination of airspeed and rpm, the pitch setting is ideal for neither cruise nor climb. Thus, the aircraft suffers a bit in each performance category.
- The fixed-pitch propeller is used when low weight, simplicity, and low cost are needed.
- The adjustable-pitch propeller was the forerunner of the constant-speed propeller.
- It is a propeller with blades whose pitch can be adjusted on the ground with the engine not running, but which cannot be adjusted in flight.

PLT350