Contra Rotating Propellers: The Hidden Key to Supercharged Aircraft Performance

The concept of contra-rotating propellers involves the installation of two propellers on a single piston or turboprop engine, one positioned immediately behind the other, rotating in opposite directions on the same axis. This creates a fascinating synchronized motion, where one propeller spins clockwise while the other spins counterclockwise. At low speeds during flight, the spinning blades of a propeller generate significant rotational airflow. In a single-rotor design, this airflow is often wasted, and can lead to stability issues, causing the aircraft to turn left or right depending on the propeller's rotation direction - called torque effect. Thereby, the presence of contra-rotating propellers maximizes the utilization of this airflow, offering high performance and minimal energy loss while countering the torque effect.
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[@OldSloGuy]

The TU-95 was a shocker when it arrived. It was the answer to the B-52. The early B-52's were faster and had an 8,000 mile unrefueled range. The Soviets didn't have the engines to match the B-52's performance. The TU-95 was 100 mph faster than our engineers thought possible for a prop plane and had an 11,000 mile range. They could and did operate out of far eastern Soviet air bases and fly up an down the west coast of north america as far south as Mexico and return non-stop and unrefueled.

[@peterjackson2625]

I worked on the Fairey Gannet aircraft engine in 1955. The contra-rotating propellers powered by 2 independent engines was a key feature of this very successful submarine hunter.

[@txvet7738]

I think the Russians have put in the most work/research into this and have made some awesome aircraft utilizing that technology!

[@andreapehjerne8490]

Absolutely.

[@gazza2933]

They just copy the west. You only have to look at their aircraft designs. 🇬🇧

[@rosevitelli5814]

Wrong USA

[@linkernick5379]

Yes, Tupolev TU-95

[@andrewday3206]

NK-93

[@andrewday3206]

The Kuznetsov NK-93 was a Contra-Rotating Geared Turbofan. It was ducted and would have been the most efficient jet engine in the world as well as the quietest contra-rotating aircraft engine. It had flight testing for 2006 to 2008 but lack of investment held it back.

[@mrrolandlawrence]

i remember that programme. i was super sad when it was wound down. I do remember though that there were some technical difficulties they could not overcome at that time.

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

The primary usage of contra-rotating props seems to be in aircraft with SO MUCH power a single prop can't handle it without being way excessively long. Reference the Soviet "Bear" and it's many offspring - some of those offspring are still in use today.

[@victoryfirst2878]

I firmly believe that counter-rotation is the way to go. THE noise factor can be ironed out using the latest technology that is used in the marine industry. The efficiency is over 100 percent, more like 120 to 130 percent. This is the way to go for the long run. Nice interesting video Sir.

[@alexwood5425]

A lot of statements and repeated and repeated. No technical explanations as to why. Waste of time.

[@bubbapate5740]

The U.S. would occasionally develop an airplane with contra rotation blade, but the Russians have a long history of using them. It is nothing new.

[@Just_Johnnie]

Why don’t they paint the propeller in yellow to look like sun flowers?

[@Pierchinggun]

F18 Hornet. Iam coming 😂to di

[@jourdanjackson5365]

I feel like this video was supposed to be longer lol.

[@hesomagari1019]

They could have mentioned counter rotating blade powered aircraft like the Sikorsky x2 series,and Kamov ka-52

[@snipelite94]

Video didn't really explore the physics of WHY contra-rotating props are actually more efficient. 🥴

[@longboardfella5306]

After his crash in a contra rotating Howard Hughes did his best to kill off the field. They sure have their uses. But great bearings design and lubrication are key to keep them safe

[@greggwilliamson]

"Contra-rotating" props will hopefully be realized with the late '70s era UDF system. (Un-Ducted Fan). Before much more efficiency can be achieved, there must be a break from the "tube & wings" layout. A BWB system (Blended Wing Body) with twin vertical stabilizers can mitigate much of the noise pollution and increase lift.

[@newT033]

When he said "...to unveil the truth about contra-rotating propellers." and then i see a 8 minutes video. Can't go that deep. I wished it would go deeper into detail why they work better than other options. Still good video for what it is.

[@dhroman4564]

Every one of the diagram rotation drawing the props are turning in the wrong direction, why?

[@carsten4594]

The illustrator was just an illustrator.

[@terrygerhart6878]

One of the features of the contra rotating propellers is the tendency for annoying background music to arise in vblogs about contra rotating propellers. Scientists with the latest high speed computers are trying to counter-act annoying background music phenomenon thought to be tied to ancient alien technology. Other than the background music, a good presentation

[@gbulmer]

Somewhat better than click-bait, but very little concrete information. There are shorter videos with more information. Contra-rotating propellers are: noisy, cancel torque effect, allow the speed of propeller rotation to be reduced (avoiding supersonic propeller-tip speeds), more efficient than a single propeller (but not quantified), more complex than single prop (increase cost, weight, and reduce reliability), are used by several large Russian 'planes, and a couple from the UK. Best Wishes. ☮

[@94520shatto]

The Propellers Rotated Backward

[@drbendover7467]

Counter rotating are used on winged aircraft when engines under preform:)

[@geraldhoag5548]

As the Contra-rotating props have become more and more utilized, especially in mid sized transport the answer would seem to be clear, at least for now.

[@andyhiscox2750]

Just because you’d not heard of contra-rotating propellers, don’t assume that no one has. And, furthermore, don’t spend what felt like a hour to say something that can be said in two minutes.

[@ttinnovations3310]

Electric is coming, and coming with Contra Rotating electric over jets for smaller aircraft, will be interesting to see, or hybrid systems

[@graxxor]

CACR: coaxial counter-rotation.

[@MilesEdgeworth129]

Come up with a design of contra-rotating propellers that use toroidal blades, and you've got yourself a solidly-efficient (and quieter) engine.

[@ccfmfg]

Or on Electric Motored Aircraft. It's also a Single compression stage that drives part of the efficiency benefit.

[@mrrolandlawrence]

i was always confused why the tu95 never updated the engines to the d27's as they were significantly better and decades newer.

[@johnslugger]

*Contar Rotating props are VERY VERY VERY VERY LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

On a Bear maritime patrol variant. anyway.

[@johnslugger]

@@bricefleckenstein9666 *True! 550 MPH for a prop plane is pretty good for that old Tupolev Tu-95 just about as fast as a jet with twice the fuel economy. Of coarse the real story is that captured German engineers build it behind the scenes and their names were buried along with them. The USSR had their own version of "Operation Paper-Clip".*

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

@@johnslugger One of the variants holds the all-time record for fastest prop aircraft (not the pure piston record though, since it's a turboprop). I THINK it was one of the airliner versions (Tu-114 or Tu-116) but not 100% certain. I'm sure there was SOME input into the design from captured German engineers - but by 10 years after the war the Soviets themselves had learned and advanced quite a bit on their own, and FAR surpassed the Germans of the time in some fields.

[@wanderschlosser1857]

​@@bricefleckenstein9666The design team for the Nk-12 was led by Ferdinand Brandner, an ex-Junkers engineer until 1953. This engine was in big parts designed by captured Junkers engineers. It certainly was not only "some" input. It's still the most powerful serial turboprop ever built, 70 years after its creation.

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

@@wanderschlosser1857 But the ENGINE (which was largely ex-German design I grant) is nowhere near the entire AIRPLANE (most of which was NOT ex-German designed). I stand by my comment.

[@sylvaleader]

Late model Spitfires and Seafires used contra rotating propellers near the end of WW11 and beyond, but I am not sure they made that much of a difference.

[@willpugh8865]

They built 18 of them in 1948 ww2 was over by 1945 bruh

[@sylvaleader]

@@willpugh8865 They built a lot more than 18. I know for a fact that 90 Seafire f47s were built by Supermarine after the war. Some Spitfire 22's also had contraprops. Supermarine were also ran development Spits with both Merlins and Griffons that had Rotol 6 bladed contraprops.

[@Sailor376also]

"Is it truly effective, or do they fall short of expectations? " Your question. Answer the damned thing. Sorry your 8 minute tap dance around just saying something is like the infomercials that lead you on and never give you the information. Just say it.. They are expensive, heavy, and additional mechanical that can fail. But yeah,, they work. If you can afford them. KISS principle.

[@zvast]

[@alexlo7708]

I don't feel noise level is different between the AN-70 contra rotating prop and A400M.

[@johnroberts7018]

I noticed the earlier American propfan engines from the 1980s like the GE-36 used contra-rotating propellers but the new designs have the rear blades stationary instead. Anyone know why this is?

[@tonyscarsella7577]

The stationary blades straighten the airflow, help increase efficiency. Same thing happens inside of jet engines. Hence the term, ‘stator blades’.

[@mencken8]

Well, I hate to pop anyone’s balloon, but YES, I have heard of it….?

[@budisutanto5987]

Like the original plan on torpedo, put the counter rotating propeller at the back, on commercial aircraft, so the noise is away from the passenger.

[@Queenlawrencesingh159]

Nice video

[@Military-TV]

Thanks

[@waleedali9393]

@@Military-TV thank you so much for your awesome job

[@antoniodias2776]

Excelente.

[@chrishowell4845]

Didn`t the Soviets have a commercial airliner with Contra Rotating Propellers?

[@PavlosPapageorgiou]

The first 1/3 of the script is heavy on cliches. After that the pacing and content feels right.

[@faisal_lhim]

Maybe in the future there will be a contra blade fan in jet engine.

[@pierrebuffiere5923]

I'm not sure what that would achieve.

[@No-thingelsematters]

Hmm. Turboprop as shown in video is a jet engine, technically.

[@v1-vr-rotatev2-vy_vx31]

You can recall Howard Hughs nearly killing working on a similar project

[@frednoname3714]

Thx for vid, you can have a look at RISE prototype engine wich is neither a turboprporp, nor a tubofan, and could look like contraroratives fans.. RISE engine from SAFRAN interresting

[@kh40yr]

Look up the Thunderscreech jet. There was talk of making it contra. All those TU Bear crewmen are going deaf

[@user-tn1vc1xz5d]

Avro Shackleton 🥰🥰🥰

[@a627246]

So is it fueleffective?

[@ULZIMAKUM]

Yes

[@bozhijak]

Extremely

[@ankursahu269]

Big investment of your this technology please sir please

[@scottgalbraith7461]

Hidden key to giant radar cross section.

[@scottw1938]

The video i watched before this one said that noise reduction was a benefit of contra rotating propellers, wtf??

[@jb5music]

Contra: "low" Counter: "opposite"

[@FPVREVIEWS]

All questions and no answers in this video

[@mikesuch9021]

Holy crap are you kidding me the first time I never heard of this was during world war II. I've been watching twin bladed aircraft since before you were born boy.

[@texasgrillchef8581]

Why still use propellers for commercial aircraft anyways when jet engines can provide more power using less fuel. Private aviation I get still using propeller driven aircraft. Military aircraft I get still using propeller driven aircraft as well. But this same tech is also used in Helicopters. Which is really just a larger propeller pointed in a different direction.

[@kendee9166]

Is it possible to use Contra Rotating Toroidal propeller?

[@bozhijak]

For what application?

[@David-yy7lb]

I think the tu-95 is the fastest turboprop in the world or was it the thunder screech🤷🏿‍♂️

[@mukbus5935]

coaxial

[@oldschoolpiston5454]

Opposite spinning propeller on both wings is best

[@paulh7589]

Isn't that what the P-38 did?

[@heftosprod]

Till one stops

[@Raven3one]

this video had no information on contra-rotating props that wasnt common sense. i was hoping to learn how this efficiency is possible.

[@TonVerkleijT3]

The only disadvantage is the loud noise these propellors make.

[@VTdarkangel]

The sound isn't the only disadvantage. They're more mechanically complex as well, requiring extra gearing to tranfer power to the counter-rotating shaft. This requires more maintenance and creates more opportunities for failure.

[@georgecastiblanco2978]

Florecita rockera tu te lo buscaste

[@carstensommer1315]

NEVER BEEN A SECRECT

[@marcdunord]

lazy non-treatment of the most favorable turbulence reduction and high-speed pressure pockets created by CRT. PLUS : you're unfair towards civilian turbo props. Nothing antiquated about them: the A400 flies at 780 km/hr cruise speed with extraordinary fuel economy (like tu-94 and tu-114). The turboprops' CRT noise problem can be solved with modern materials for passengers and modern noise-reducing helices. And your oh-so-modern jets are de facto being flown at 750-800 km/hr by airlines these days... to save fuel... So they are as slow! You can bet that tu-114 at 850km/hr uses less fuel than any jet and needs much less working hours for maintenance.

[@ldkbudda4176]

Indeed!

[@manout-kidin8735]

Ever heared of Tu-95 🐻 ?

[@mitchgingras3899]

Since everyone is using noise-cancelling earbuds, maybe its time is here again. Say what?

[@ankursahu269]

2 trillion dollar investment of your this technology please sir please

[@Oleg50600]

solution: Intermeshing-rotor

[@airdad5383]

They are too complex for commercial aircraft. I think the next step is the unducted fan on jet engines.

[@RuelDomalaon-fy3hf]

I can power that , 10000v ac x2 , propeller again .

[@entropy_of_principles]

....merely complex and seriously did not add to much to the plane as a whole, the consumption rise, the gear must be more strength than usual one ( must turns two propelers with huge wind surface to cut off) ...and for what ? To add some plus when turn your plane or for short take off ? No, not worthing, otherwise any built a so concept.

[@XB10001]

How many times are you going to repeat the SAME THING? 🙄 This video could have been 1 minute long in total.

[@toneault7499]

oh well here we go with another bad accounting of props and bad cartoons running backwards ... don't tell us we'll tell you.. thanks

[@philchristmas4071]

So it makes your plane loud and saves some fuel? Sometimes I think militaries do stupid $h!+ just to try and entice other militaries to invest in something stupid too.

[@umueri1877]

You dont see the value in fuel saving?

[@zvast]

He must be a rich Arab 😉@@umueri1877

[@teicangigi559]

Face zgomot, dar un avion de mărimea lui Tu 95 nu mai contează zgomotul. Este vizibil radar de la sute de kilometri. Nu la fel se pune problema la elicopterul Ka 52 Black Shark. Conceptul de elici coaxiale fac inutilă elicea anti-cuplu din coadă, deci elicopterul nu mai depinde de vânt, și face virajele plate, fără a mai înclina fuselajul pe viraj, deci nu pierde cuplu-motor. În plus, soluția elicilor coaxiale mărește mult randamentul aeronavei, deci sarcină utilă mai mare și reduce consumul de combustibil.

[@2012562]

The future of flight inside the atmosphere depends heavily on the plasma jet, and the plasma jet has a wonderful ratio of weight to the resulting force. With continued development, it will be suitable for flight inside the atmosphere and outside the atmosphere at speeds that are considered relatively limited, because in space we will need a speed many times the speed of light. There remains a topic. The energy required to operate these engines. It is possible that the energy of calcium apatite hydroxide crystals and cellulose crystals, when used correctly, meets this requirement.

[@michaelan9688]

Nice AI script lmao

[@janwitts2688]

Old tech

[@chrisrosenkreuz23]

I don't think they are syncing the propellers properly. A 1:1 ratio as pictured wouldn't be the most efficient. What would be the most efficient is Larmor frequency precession

[@zvast]

Why don't you advise them directly?

[@scottsuttan2123]

are western minds gonna amit that russia was right and have better tech the US 😂 fat chance american ego to big

[@konekillerking]

I think your not understanding what a supercharged engine is. Tu-95 is even an piston engine.

[@TricksterJ97]

The TU-95 is powered by four Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprop engines. They each produce about 15,000 shaft horsepower. That is why it is necessary to have an 8 bladed contra rotating propeller 18-20 feet in diameter (depending on the model) to translate the power to thrust.

[@user-ms8qg2rz5s]

First

[@lawrencemontecristo2482]

Maybe it doesn't make much sense to argue about this anymore. Not after the MIT toroidal propeller

[@user-xs6by8gl8y]

ดี..แต่ไม่เหนว่าแปลก..รอแผลบ.เดยวมีตามแน่ๆ

[@paulcoverdale8312]

Yes we have! The Chinese played with it. The Russians still use it on the bears. 😂😂😂😂🙏🙏🪬🪬💎💎💯💯🇬🇧🇬🇧