Navy to Begin Flight Testing Eight-Blade Composite Propellers for E-2C.

• Jurisdiction: United States
• Date: 01 November 2000
• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.

The U.S. Navy plans to begin flight-testing E-2C Hawkeye aircraft equipped with new eight-blade, all-composite propellers. The Hawkeye is the Navy's carrier-based early warning and control radar plane, which has been in the fleet since 1973.

Flight tests originally were scheduled to start last month but were delayed until December.

Officials believe that this new system, called NP2000 (for Navy propeller 2000), will be easier to maintain than the current four-blade, steel-spar propellers. The NP2000 propeller system is controlled digitally and will replace the current Hamilton Sundstrand 54460-model electro-mechanical, steel-spar propeller that currently is used on all Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound aircraft. The C-2 is a carrier-based transport airplane that can carry 28 passengers...