Yes. Eight years ago a did a prop test with 14 different props. It took me months to do this study. I had 2 blade, 3 blade, long, short, flexible and stiff props. I had 4 Flight Design CTSW planes all Mfg within months of each other. I was the only one setting prop pitch. I could control what flap settings we used and I could control other factors as well and we took off side by side. We flew at the same time in all temp and weather conditions and within 100' of each other. Prop Mfg's don't do a mass study like this and they may use different pilots, flaps and different times of day and different day to day conditions. Prop folks said it was the only study like it. We could compare climb and cruise speeds and throttle rpms.
Just a quick overview. No matter what the prop people said the results were all dependent on the prop pitch. This is where I got the BEST BALANCED all around WOT rpm of 5600- 5650 for climb, cruise, fuel economy and engine temps. This should be setup for your average altitude flying. Someone in Florida that rarely goes over 2K feet in altitude will have a different pitch than someone who lives up in Colorado and always fly's at 10K. Yes sometimes we all fly higher or lower. Anything under 5500 WOT rpm in level flight is over pitched and there are no redeeming qualities being over pitched. Everything suffers and there is more stress on the engine. Some aircraft Mfg's thought it was a good idea to only get 5200 rpm at WOT in level flight. Bad idea and their failure to do real studies.
If you need a better climb prop because you're heavy or an Amphib or on short fields with obstructions to clear then 5800 may be better for you.
Since the USA doesn't allow Light Sport and some others to have in flight adjustable or constant speed props most use either a fixed pitch or a ground adjustable prop. Then we need to pick a WELL BALANCED prop pitch for the engine's needs and our flight needs. Bottom line with all these props it was all rpm dependent and they all performed the same except the Warp Drive that suffered in climb vs the others. This proved out in multiple flights with the Warp. It was okay in level flight.
This all said many are reporting better performance with the E-Prop which I have never tested, but people seem to swear by it for better performance..
There really is no need to go from a 68" to a 72" especially with a heavy Warp Drive prop. A 68" prop from a different Mfg will out perform the 72" Warp anytime and it will be lighter and easier on the engine.
