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- Aug 19, 2016
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Hi there fellow Phantom pilots.
In a thread posted by DJI titled "Top Ten Common Mistakes Phantom Pilots Make", they included the following statement: -"We suggest changing propellers every 50 flights, and a set of propellers should not be used for more than 100 flights. If you haven’t used a set of propellers for more than 50 flights, but they’re over a year old, still change them, as the threads will degrade over time from exposure to air."-
I've asked why the recommended replacement interval is based on the number of flights, as opposed to cumulative flight time. Considering that the alluded life-limited condition of the props would be tied to potential material fatigue, which is paced by the duration and intensity of the stress they are subjected to; and that "a flight" is currently recorded as anything from just firing up the motors on the ground or hovering for a minute, up to 20 minutes of intensive flying maneuvers over several miles; it seems the actual flight time (which is also recorded) should be the metric used for the recommended intervals, with a tolerance range depending on individual mission profiles (i.e. aggressive flying/braking vs. hovering or smooth movements).
Also, the recommendation of replacing the props after one year, regardless of the number of accumulated flights/flight time, is even more puzzling. It seems highly unlikely that the materials that these props are made of would be prone to considerable decay over just 12 months, providing of course they are stored properly. Air alone doesn't erode plastic or carbon fiber.
So I'm posting the poll at the top of this thread to get a sense of everyone's experience with the props over time, excluding of course after crashing or having a prop-strike.
Any comments and experiences will be most appreciated!
In a thread posted by DJI titled "Top Ten Common Mistakes Phantom Pilots Make", they included the following statement: -"We suggest changing propellers every 50 flights, and a set of propellers should not be used for more than 100 flights. If you haven’t used a set of propellers for more than 50 flights, but they’re over a year old, still change them, as the threads will degrade over time from exposure to air."-
I've asked why the recommended replacement interval is based on the number of flights, as opposed to cumulative flight time. Considering that the alluded life-limited condition of the props would be tied to potential material fatigue, which is paced by the duration and intensity of the stress they are subjected to; and that "a flight" is currently recorded as anything from just firing up the motors on the ground or hovering for a minute, up to 20 minutes of intensive flying maneuvers over several miles; it seems the actual flight time (which is also recorded) should be the metric used for the recommended intervals, with a tolerance range depending on individual mission profiles (i.e. aggressive flying/braking vs. hovering or smooth movements).
Also, the recommendation of replacing the props after one year, regardless of the number of accumulated flights/flight time, is even more puzzling. It seems highly unlikely that the materials that these props are made of would be prone to considerable decay over just 12 months, providing of course they are stored properly. Air alone doesn't erode plastic or carbon fiber.
So I'm posting the poll at the top of this thread to get a sense of everyone's experience with the props over time, excluding of course after crashing or having a prop-strike.
Any comments and experiences will be most appreciated!