Which component retains blades within the propeller assembly?

• A. dome
• B. barrel
• C. spinner
• D. stationary section control assembly

Answer: (B)

The part that keeps each blade attached firmly inside the hub is the barrel. Inside the propeller hub, blade roots sit into the barrel and are secured by fasteners, clamps, or bolts that pass through the blade root into the barrel. This cylindrical piece distributes the loads from centrifugal force and thrust across all blades and prevents blades from moving axially or radially during operation. The spinner is just the nose cone that smooths airflow and doesn’t secure the blades, while the dome and the stationary section control assembly serve other functions (aesthetics/covering and pitch control, respectively) and don’t retain the blades. So the barrel is the component that holds the blades in place within the propeller assembly.