"Beta" is not the name of Captain Kirk's creepy girlfriend.

Your propeller wants to have a chat with you.

We never talk. Why is that? I sometimes think you take me for granted, but you need to know that I am a driving force, and the first thing air hits when it deals with your airplane. Here are a few things about me that you need to know.

Consider me an airfoil, not a paddle.?

It is easy to think of me as a sort of "oar of the air," but I have all the characteristics and behavior of any other airfoil. Propellers have an angle of attack, just like your wing, and also, like your wing, your propeller can stall. I utilize Bernoulli's principle and Newton's third law and operate best at my optimum angle of attack (minimum lift-to-drag ratio), just like any other airfoil.?

Please don't push me.?

Or pull me, for that matter. Props are not handles and should not be used to push your airplane into and out of the hangar.?

Please use a tow bar or consult your aircraft's POH to find designated push/pull points on the airframe. Handling propellers this way can cause them to bend slightly out of whack and mess up the hub seals.

Make me part of your preflight?

Look carefully for surface damage and irregularities such as dents, nicks, scratches, and erosion. After finding something, please have a mechanic look at me if you have any doubts about my condition. They can correct minor damage by "dressing" it out.?

Check my spinner just as carefully and please make sure you check the back surfaces of my hub – this is where cracks are most likely to occur.?

Don't hose me.

I prefer an oily rag for my hygiene, thank you very much. Never use a water hose to clean me! A rubdown with an oily rag is the best way to clean me. The oil removes substances that cause corrosion and helps me repel corrosives and water erosion during my next flight.?

Water, especially water squirted into my spinner and hub, can lead to corrosion and lubricant breakdown -- and nobody wants that. Clean me every hundred hours with a non-petroleum solvent (Stoddard) and waxed like the family car, using paste wax.?

Treat me like a loaded gun.

Assume that my mags are hot and ready to fire at all times, even when you know there is no way for my engine to start. You cannot be too safe around me; extra care will help you keep your fingers and hands.

Rev me gently.?

High-power, static run-ups over gravel or dirt can lead to FOD (foreign object damage). High-speed propeller operation around loose gravel or dirt can cause me to get nicks and other damage. If you find yourself taking off from gravel or dirt runways and can safely perform a takeoff this way, keep the power back from maximum takeoff settings until you get some decent airspeed heading down the runway. Please scrutinize me after operating on gravel and dirt.?

Don't worry if I wobble.

My tips might wriggle just a little if you move them by hand. Tiny differences at my blade roots become magnified many times when measured at the tips. This slight wobble does not affect my performance or safety at all. After the first turn, when the engine starts spinning, centrifugal force sets my blades firmly into my retention bearings, and all is well.

My life story.

My history needs to be in a separate diary, and my maintenance is vital. Records of my past, maintenance, and service bulletins are just as crucial as your engine and airframe maintenance logs. Maintaining a separate record of propeller issues and maintenance is an excellent idea.?

Most people don't talk about propeller overhauls, but my efficiency and safety are just as crucial as your engines or wings. My overhaul interval is generally based on service hours but can also be predicated on calendar limits.?

If you are buying an aircraft, your pre-buy inspection done by a mechanic should include a careful review of records and an inspection of the propeller. A bent or damaged prop might indicate current or future damage to the engine. Apparent damage and wear can make my date with the overhaul shop sooner.

I could run away.

A runway occurs when my propeller governor fails during flight. When this happens, I default to a flat pitch setting. This feature can cause me to speed up and cause the engine to over speed. The standard recovery for this is to pull your engine's power back and raise your nose to get things to slow down. I rarely do this, but you should know the procedure to follow in your aircraft should this happen.?

"Beta" is not the name of Captain Kirk's creepy girlfriend.?

Beta control repositions the propeller blade beyond the normal low-pitch stop, leading to a flap pitch. Most aircraft with beta control and prop reversing very rarely, if ever, actually go into reverse thrust. The beta range is enough to make almost any aircraft stop on a dime.?

"Flicker Vertigo" is not just a cool name for a band.

Vertigo can happen to a pilot when sunlight reflects into the cockpit just right off the back side of my rotating blades when the sun is behind me. My backside is painted with a non-reflective flat black to help with this problem. There is paint on the front side with bright colors near my tips to warn ramp dwellers and aircraft service people not to walk into me.

Thanks for listening. I'll see you next time you come out (around) to the airport.