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After clocking up just over 100 hrs on the L164, and finding that I could not get much more than 2200rpm static and 2500 rpm in flight, I decided to address the issue, and so when purchashing a new fixed pitch prop for my RV4, I mentioned this to Craig Catto.

Craig said that he would be in Australia for a few days early September and that he could solve the problem very easily, so I jumped at the chance to have him visit and take a look.

I collected Craig & his partner Charla in Brisbane and we drove back north to our property at Greenfields, near Boreen Point, just north of Noosa.

Craig & Charla stayed with us for a couple of days and it gave me great pleasure to be able to show them our patch..

My good friend ( & 3 times RV's builder ), Goeff Carr came over and within and hour or so, the 3 of us had the 3 bladded prop off the L164 and Craig started work.

Within about an hour, Craig had sanded just a smidgeon off the trailing rear edge of each blade, applied some fast drying automotive body filler red putty, sanded that smooth & touch up painted each blade.
After lunch we re-installed the prop & spinner, and I took Craig up for a short flight.

I found that he had made an unbelievable difference, not only to the static and full power RPM, but also to the climb & cruise speeds of the aircraft. I could now get 2350 static & 2700 rpm full power in fast time. This small change also increased the climb performance & the cruise speed noticeably.

It would be nearly impossible to overstate what a good guy Craig is along with his depth of his knowledge & experience in propellar fabrication & aviation generally.

My wife Annie & I feel extremely lucky to be able to regard Craig & Charla as a friends.

In the month or so after Graig had returned to the US, I finally managed to get the new Catto prop on my RV4, after having the engine & hoses rebuilt & installing a pair of new electronic EMags.
BOY OH BOY, what a change that has made to the RV

The combination of reduced aircraft weight, more ef

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