Note: Rotational Speed Forward Speed Increasing Would Normally Also * — Tnerease Blade Angle of Attack vy Angle of zz 3 2 Decreasing Bo Attack Bo ne ae Ss 28 ao €% eg g¢ S& E§ ey gc % me Forward Speed Forward Speed Figure 1.18 - Variation in Angle of Attack with a Change in Forward Speed and a Fixed Blade Angle Effect of Forward Speed Looking at the illustration, fig. 1.18 above, you should see that the horizontal effective pitch line is now represented as the forward speed of the aircraft and the vertical line now represents the propeller rotational specd. Note that in the right hand illustration there is a combination of propeller speed and aircraft forward speed that produces what appears to be a good angle of attack. Now look what happens when the aircraft forward speed increases at constant propeller speed. The effective pitch vector lengthens and the angle of attack reduces quite dramatically. If the forward speed were to continue incteasing, like this, the angle of attack could disappear altogether. In the extreme, if the aitcraft were in a dive for example, the angle of attack could appear on the camber side of the blade as a ‘negative angle’. As the propeller cannot produce thtust when there is no angle of attack it should be clear to you that the forward speed of an aircraft equipped with this propeller will be limited.