It is always wise to conduct inspections and maintenance prior to long periods of storage, especially during the long winter months. As the propeller is a vital component of flight, the longer you wait to perform a check, the more you put yourself at risk for part failure and potentially hazardous situations. This blog will examine what happens when common forms of damage are left untreated, and how to preemptively ensure your propeller stays in top shape throughout the winter.
Ideally, you should be able to store your aircraft through the winter and trust that it will perform excellently once spring rolls around for the first flight of the season. In order to limit the inspections and repairs needed before getting back in the cockpit, you should take precautionary measures before placing your aircraft in storage for long durations of time. Propellers can face damage in many forms from various threats, and this damage is not always visible. For this reason, it is important to use your hands when inspecting the blades in search of nicks, dings, gauges, or corrosion. Composite propellers are made of materials that rely on adhesive bonds to stay together, so an additional test known as the tap test should be conducted to check debonding or delamination along the blades. This test is conducted by tapping the blades with an object, such as a coin, to listen for differences in sounds that might suggest problems with the makeup of the propeller.
Keeping the propeller clean is also of utmost importance because it can protect against corrosion. While running, blades come into contact with lots of debris, including bugs, dirt, dust, and other pollutants. As these catch and build up on the blades, they chip away at the paint and leave the underlying material exposed and susceptible to corrosion. To remedy any buildup of residue, the best way to clean your propellers is to give them a good wash, wax, and detail. It is wise to clean by making circles using a soft rag and cleaning compound, and then to follow up with a waxing coat if there is no wax built into your cleaning product. Once you have thoroughly completed the steps of this process, the aircraft should be put into storage with protective covers over the blades.
It is always wise to frequently check service limits, particularly overhaul limits, which are referred to as time between overhauls (TBO). This lets you know when you are in need of your next overhaul in either flight time or calendar time. Winter often proves to be an ideal time for overhaul maintenance considering you will not need to operate your aircraft for a long duration of time. Additionally, it is also wise to use this time to consider upgrades. Alongside propellor or blade replacements, your aircraft may require routine maintenance, certifications, or avionics upgrades. To reduce the time you have to wait before getting back in the air for your next flight, the aforementioned precautions should be taken into consideration prior to placing your aircraft in storage for the winter. Diligence and routine maintenance lead to safe and durable aircraft, so never put off concerns about your propellers for another day, let alone another season.
Aircraft Hardware for Sale is your parts procurement partner for all aircraft hardware components. We are owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor and conduct business under the motto “as soon as possible, as simple as possible.” Our team of expert starr members works around the clock 24/7x365 to provide you with answers to any questions and customized quotes within 15 minutes following your completion of an RFQ form. We operate with AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015, and FAA AC 00-56B accreditation, and we are the only independent distributor with a No China Sourcing policy, as sourcing responsibly is of utmost importance to us. Asquality is the cornerstone of our operations, leave the sourcing, logistics, shipments, and quality control to us, that way you can focus on what you do best!
![]() |
“We Proudly Support Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund that serves United States Military Personal experiencing the Invisible Wounds of War : Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). Please visit website (www.fallenheroesfund.org) and help in their valiant effort”. |
We Hope that You Will Visit Us Again the Next Time You Need NSN Parts and Make Us Your Strategic Purchasing Partner.
Request for Quote