More blades, more speed? Not exactly-here's why extra propeller blades don't guarantee higher top speeds for aircraft.

Blade shapes are becoming ever more complex to deliver these improvements, requiring continued innovation in the structure to ensure that safety, durability and reliability are maintained. Again ...

The 11-blade propeller has been flown on MT’s Piper Cheyenne testbed, fitted to one of the aircraft’s two Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprops.

Airbus The aircraft’s four propellers each have a fuel-cell stack powering an electric motor. Airbus has completed a similar 1.2-megawatt system, but the next version will be more powerful.

Vertical Aerospace’s initial VX4 prototype was written off after the failure of a propeller blade due to a manufacturing fault which led to a loss of thrust from two of the aircraft’s ...