Duc Propellers have been manufactured in France since 1997 and are sold in the us through their office in Sebring, Florida. At AirVenture 2023, Duc is introducing its Duc Tiger line of in-flight adjustable carbon fiber propellers in three, four and even five bladed models. Although most other prop manufacturers machine their hubs from aluminum, Duc makes their hubs with specially “forged carbon fiber”, utilizing a unique process patented by founder Vincent DuQucine. Duc makes their tiger propeller hubs with pre-preg carbon fiber, pressed into metal molds at 180 decrees Celsius and over 80 tons of pressure. The result is an incredibly durable structure, capable of handling the stresses of retaining, whirling and controlling propeller blades at more than 3000 rpm.
Although the Duc propellers appear similar to ground adjustable props manufactured by other companies, they are, in fact, in-flight adjustable, either through hydraulic or electrical/mechanical means. The Tiger carbon fiber propeller blades have wider chords than previous models, designed to increase aerodynamic effectiveness.
To demonstrate the durability and performance of their new Tiger propellers, Duc had their chief test pilot, Olivier Ronveaux, fly a VL3 sport aircraft with a Rotax 915 engine from the Czech Republic to Oshkosh with a four bladed, in-flight adjustable, Tiger bolted to the nose. Ronveaux reports that the new Tiger prop exceed the performance of previous Duc models in every respect, including faster cruises, crisper take off, faster climb and smoothness of operation in every regime. Flying over 4500 NM over European mountains and open ocean was not only a fair test of the Tiger prop, but a good indication of Duc’s faith in their engineering. For more information, visit duc-propellers-usa.com
