Definition
A propeller mounted at the front of an aircraft engine that pulls the aircraft through the air, as opposed to a pusher propeller, which is mounted behind the engine and pushes the aircraft.
Plain English
A propeller fitted on the front of the engine. It pulls the aircraft forward through the air rather than pushing it from behind.
Context Anchor
Seen when describing aircraft layout, especially the difference between front-mounted propeller designs and rear-mounted propeller designs.
Derivation
From Latin 'trahere,' meaning 'to pull' or 'to drag' — the same root as 'tractor' (a vehicle that pulls). The name describes exactly what the propeller does: it pulls the aircraft through the air.
Why Pilots Care
Most training aircraft use tractor propellers, so the airflow from the propeller (the slipstream) flows back over the wings, fuselage, and tail. This affects handling at low speeds and high power settings, including left-turning tendencies on takeoff.
Intuition Check
“Tractor” does not mean farm equipment here. In this term, it means the propeller is arranged to pull the aircraft forward.
Example Sentence 1
The Cessna 172 uses a tractor propeller mounted on the nose of the aircraft.
Example Sentence 2
During preflight the pilot inspects the tractor propeller blades for damage before flight.