Step1 – Assess the damage

Remove the propeller from the aircraft but leave the blade retention components attached to the hub.



Take a note of which components have been affected by the ground strike. 



Obviously the blades will be affected but there is also the spinner, spinner support and slipring to consider.

Step 2 – Contact Airmaster.

Send us a quick email explaining what has happened.  We will assist with any part that you are unsure of.

Step 3 – Prepare propeller for shipment.

Cut off the blades at the root of the blade ~1in from the ferrule.  This will reduce the cost of returning the propeller by making it more compact.



Consider which parts you want returned for assesment and or upgrading.  You may wish to return the controller and brushblock / loom for example, to have them upgraded to the latest software and hardware versions.



Generally we do not recommend returning the spinner if it is undammaged as it can easily be damaged in trasit.  Make a note as to whether it requires replacement.

Step 4 – Select shippment method

We recommend you use UPS, FedEx or other similar couriers 25kg box services for returning the propeller.  These boxes are very sturdy and have a reduced shipping rate due to thier uniform size.



Make sure the parts are packed with sufficient packaging to prevent further damage during transit.

You will be required to generate a comercial invoice to travel with the propeller.  If you are sending with a courier company, they will provide you with one of these.  Please state the value of the propeller as a damaged item.  This would generally be ~USD2000 or less. 

We will make a full assessment of the propeller then ask for your approval to carry out the work as we will describe.  You will have the opportunity to discuss your options and make your choice of what upgrades you would like.

With the assessment confirmed, Airmaster will repair your propeller as requested.  This part of the process takes ~2 weeks.  Although the main components are held in stock, since each propeller is a unique combination of hub, blades, spinner etc, each propeller must be finally assembled to the specific customer requirements.

As the propeller nears completion, Airmaster will issue you with an invoice for payment. 



This may be made by international bank transfer or credit card.  There will be instructions on how to do this printed on the invoice as shown.

Once funds are recieved, your propeller will be shipped by UPS courier to your door.  This will take 2-5 days depending on your region.  The delivery process can be tracked on the UPS web site. http://www.ups.com/tracking/tracking.html  You should also recieve automatically updates from UPS at the email address you provided on your order from.

In some countries there may be additional fees to pay to the relevant authorities (local taxes or import duties).  This can usually be arranged through UPS but you may wish to check your particular situation here.



We will state on the invoice that travels with the propeller 'return' (after repair) and place a value on it that is equal to the repair cost.



Sometimes your local customs will issue you with a clearance number when you export the propeller (to us).  Make sure we know to state this number on the commercial invoice when we return it to minimise your tax liability.

Propeller At Fine Pitch Stop

Once you start your engine you should see the FINE led flashing green.

This indicates controller is attempting to drive in the fine direction, but the propeller  is already at the fine pitch stop.

You may see this indication many times when the throttle is only partially open.  It shows the control system is working properly but that the current selection of speed and throttle do not allow for governing to the set speed. 

Constant Speed Governing

When you are flying, you may see an occasional flick of orange on either the FINE or COARSE leds.  This is the normal operation of the propeller making very fine adjustments to the propeller pitch to keep the engine speed constant. 

If there is a large change in throttle setting or aircraft attitude (or you have selected a different engine rpm), one or other of the indicators may stay on for longer.

If you are in very calm air, with no change in throttle, you may see no indications.  This is normal.

Propeller At Coarse Pitch Stop

During automatic operation, this indicates the controller is attempting to drive in the coarse direction, but the propeller  is already at the coarse pitch stop.

This is most likely to occur if you are flying at a higher than normal altitude, at high power settings.  It would be a clue that the coarse pitch stop is currently set too fine. 

The coarse pitch stop is set at the factory to a nominal value, but it is expected that you will have to adjust this to your particular conditions. Please refer to the Operators Manual.

Over current

A solid red indicator in any of the circuits of FINE, COARSE or FEATHER is an indication that the propeller is drawing too much current.

If this occurs in AUTO operation, constant speed regulation will be suspended.  The indicator can be cleared by switching to MAN. 

If you need make a pitch adjustment for safety reasons, you can attempt to do so in manual, but it is advised that you investigate the problem properly before further automatic operation is attempted.