Beta in a piston?

[Bell206]

Technically beta in a PT-6 is when the prop angle is controlled directly by the power lever rather than by the governor, so reverse is a part of beta.

I think you'll find Beta is not an all-inclusive term and is defined by the airframe OEM.

If you look in a King Air 90 or 200 manual you will find Beta and Reverse have separate definitions and ranges. In some older Beechcraft, Beta was called Ground Fine whose range was used solely to ground taxi the aircraft, with Reverse used on landings. On the other hand, in a Pilatus for example you will find the Beta range is the propeller range controlled by the Beta valve within the CSU. And if I recall, Pilatus only defines two prop ranges, CSU and Beta ranges, each of which is controlled by through the prop governor.

So it all depends....

 

[MauleSkinner]

I think you'll find Beta is not an all-inclusive term and is defined by the airframe OEM.

If you look in a King Air 90 or 200 manual you will find Beta and Reverse have separate definitions and ranges. In some older Beechcraft, Beta was called Ground Fine whose range was used solely to ground taxi the aircraft, with Reverse used on landings. On the other hand, in a Pilatus for example you will find the Beta range is the propeller range controlled by the Beta valve within the CSU. And if I recall, Pilatus only defines two prop ranges, CSU and Beta ranges, each of which is controlled by through the prop governor.

So it all depends....

The problem is I CAN'T find that.

 

[DavidWhite]

I watched the DC6s land on short gravel strips in rural Alaska - they’ve got reverse.

 

[Zeldman]

I watched the DC6s land on short gravel strips in rural Alaska - they’ve got reverse.

I watched a DC-6 back up in Ambler. Funniest thing I ever saw.

 

[3393RP]

You'll have a hard time calling Garrett on that issue.

https://aerospace.honeywell.com/en/products/engines/tpe331-turboprop-engine

You know what I meant.

 

[MauleSkinner]

You know what I meant.

Hence the terminology confusion...pilots (people in general, actually) tend to misuse terminology and think everybody misuses the same terminology the same way.

 

[DavidWhite]

I watched a DC-6 back up in Ambler. Funniest thing I ever saw.

One night we were at the airport drunk as skunks right after the last company plane landed and then we watched a dc6 taxi out and take-off in three. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing lol.

 

[ironnerd]

So how do you control/manipulate it in the cockpit?

Wait... that's a good question.
On all of the Turbo-Props I have worked on, reverse is on the power lever. Is it the same on pistons? Just never worked on one with that particular option.

 

[JohnAJohnson]

I heard the C17 tactical descent also allows for use of reverse thrust in flight

Not sure about the C17 but the C141 would idle and reverse 2 and 3 over drop zones. I'd imagine jumpers use the side doors of a C17, it would also have that capability.

 

[JohnAJohnson]

True. We had a Delta jumpseater who also flew C17s and he said they do like 18K feet a minute in a tactical descent.

Shouldn't need thrust reversers for that. The C141 would do a 20k'/min controlled decent at idle and dirty.