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VAW-123's New Propellers Take Flight Aboard Enterprise

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS051115-15
Release Date: 11/15/2005 6:00:00 PM

By Photographer's Mate Airman Apprentice Michael Stokely, USS Enterprise Public Affairs

ABOARD USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- The E-2C Hawkeyes of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 123, currently underway aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65), are continuing to benefit from the aircraft's new NP2000 eight-bladed propellers.

According to Lt. Brian Judy, VAW 123 pilot, improvement in the propellers for the Hawkeye has been in the works for years. The Hawkeye's original propellers had four blades, causing loud low-frequency noise and heavy vibration.

According to Judy, they were one of the first squadrons to get them, in December 2004.

“West Coast squadrons are just getting the new propellers, but East Coast squadrons have had them for about a year,” said Judy.

The new propellers are more technologically advanced, according to VAW-123 Maintenance Master Chief, Master Chief Aviation Structural Mechanic (AW/NAC) Efrain Rodriguez.

“The old propellers were entirely mechanical. This propeller has taken that mechanical side and altered it to work electronically,” Rodriguez explained.

According to Judy, vibration and noise has decreased significantly, and the new propellers also show an increase in performance.

“They are a lot easier on the air crew, because it’s smoother and quieter, which makes long missions a lot easier to tolerate,” said Judy. “The old four-blade propellers tended to really rattle you around and make a lot of low-frequency noise. The E-2Cs have been nicknamed ‘hummers’ because of the noise the four-blades made. Now with the NP2000s, I’ve heard the noise described as ‘a hive of angry bees.’ They are also more fuel efficient and have better climb performance.”

Rodriquez added, “The air crew likes the new propellers a lot. They are light, and they make the plane go and come to a stop a whole lot faster. They give the aircraft more 'bite' in the air.”

VAW-123 Power Plant Division Leading Petty Officer Aviation Machinist's Mate (AW/SW) Robert Gilliam said that, from his discussions with pilots, they notice tremendous bursts of power during take-off and in flight. Gilliam also explained the reduced maintenance demands of the NP2000s.

“The maintenance on the new propellers is a lot more streamlined and easier on the people who work on them,” said Gilliam. “On a four-blade propeller, if we damage one blade we have to replace the whole propeller. On the NP2000s, the design allows us to only replace the damaged blade. Same with work on the internal system; on the four blades, we had to remove the whole propeller to fix the internal parts. With the new propellers, you only have to take off the cover assembly. The maintenance man-hours have gone down tremendously,” said Gilliam.

According to Judy, over the past year the pilots of VAW-123 have gotten accustomed to the NP2000s and are glad the change was made.

“We had a couple of growing pains in the beginning, but now that we’re used to them we are pretty happy with them," he said. "We are all pretty enthusiastic about it.”