Baking up to the issue that
started this discussion; these words from Lipps article get to the point.
You’ll notice I never once used the word
“pitch” in reference to my propeller. In my opinion, that word
should be reserved for use with screws and worm gears that travel a definite
linear distance per revolution. It is really an inappropriate, nontechnical
term for use with props and introduces the idea that all propellers of a
certain diameter and pitch are alike. It’s as if chord and planform have
no bearing on a propeller’s characteristics; but nothing could be further
from the truth! Go buy the same diameter and pitch prop from
three different prop makers and you’ll get three different performances.
That is the source of much frustration for someone shopping for a prop for his
plane. To properly characterize a prop, the prop maker should tell you the
engine horsepower required to turn the prop at a given rpm, density altitude,
and speed, as well as the efficiency under those conditions. I’d like to
see you get that information from any of them!