Precision blade pitch adjustment

A rotor blade assembly, comprising:

• a hub having a rotational axis and an outboard wall parallel to the rotational axis;
• a pitch cylinder fixed to the hub and extending inboard with a first face exposed at the outboard wall;
• pitch slots spaced circumferentially and extending inboard from the first face;
• a blade sleeve fixed to a blade and positioned in the pitch cylinder with a second face located at the outboard wall;
• a blade slot extending inboard from the second face, wherein the blade slot is cooperative with each pitch slot of the pitch slots to form a keyway when the blade slot is aligned with the each pitch slot;
• and
• a key configured to be disposed in the keyway thereby fixing the blade sleeve to the pitch cylinder.

A method, comprising:

• adjusting a blade pitch in a rotor blade assembly comprising a hub having a rotational axis, a pitch cylinder fixed to the hub and extending inboard from a first face, pitch slots spaced circumferentially and extending inboard from the first face, a blade sleeve fixed to a blade and positioned in the pitch cylinder with a second face located with the first face, a blade slot extending inboard from the second face;
• rotating the blade sleeve until the blade slot is aligned with a first pitch slot of the pitch slots forming a first keyway corresponding to a first blade pitch;
• and
• fixing the blade at the first blade pitch by positioning a key in the first keyway.