Photographer Jim Stevenson evaluates the new prop, comparing the performance to his 180-horsepower Cessna 170B.
Boosting Thrust Without Breaking the Bank
If an engine upgrade is out of the question, a seaplane prop can be a cost-effective way to achieve more power on takeoff and climb.
BY JASON McDOWELL
W hen it comes to aircraft modifications, the return on investment runs the gamut. Some items like shoulder harnesses, ADS-B, and good sun visors are no-brainers that provide huge returns. Other items like customized interiors and elaborate paint jobs perhaps fall toward the other end of the spectrum for me. Since I purchased my airplane in 2021, I’ve been carefully choosing upgrades to address its most glaring shortcomings. Throughout this process, I freely acknowledge the indisputable fact that the weakest point of the entire system is the shortcoming found in the left seat. Indeed, for me to suggest that anything else is more in need of improvement is akin to Steven Seagal suggesting that the casts of The Shawshank Redemption or Citizen Kane should take some acting classes. Nevertheless, it’s fun to calibrate one’s airplane to their liking through modifications. For the more technically-minded, even a certified airplane is a blank canvas to tweak and improve. It becomes a question of what sort of flying experience you’re after and then what modifications will help you to achieve that experience in the most cost-effective manner. For me, one of the most concerning parts of many flights has always been the takeoff. Particularly on shorter strips and on hot days, departure-end
obstacles have always loomed large. Equipped with a relatively anemic 145 hp engine and a propeller that has flown for around 4,000 hours without an overhaul, one of my biggest goals was to make takeoffs from shorter strips more fun than concerning. The first step was to evaluate all my available options. The most obvious was also the most expensive—an engine upgrade. Continental and Lycoming both offer fire-breathing alternatives to my 170’s stock engine, ranging from 180 to 210 hp. When combined with a constant-speed propeller, they produce enough thrust to throw your head back upon brake release and transform those departure-end obstacles from objects of doom to laughable runway decorations. This intoxicating power comes at quite a cost, however. After including the engine, the mounting kit, the STC, the propeller, and labor to install it all, the total bill for the modification can exceed $80,000. And while it completely transforms the airplane, a price tag like that is enough to make you consider dealing with those departure-end obstacles in a more cost-effective manner, perhaps with a chainsaw under cover of darkness. So a new engine was off the table from the get-go. Depending on the aircraft, bolt-on options might be available to increase horsepower. Power Flow Systems sells exhaust systems that increase horsepower
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