Hot propping

[Major Lord]

Hopefully most of our people are in their right minds and we don't need a new safety circular:

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Pilot-Struck-by-Airplane-Propeller-Gillespie-Field-138340604.html?dr

Avoid leaving your brains or arms on the ground.

Major Lord

[a2capt]

The few times I've had to prop start a plane ... I've hated it.

I know, I know .. the guys before me did it, and that's the only way they knew.

They used shotgun shells on the big ones, and the pipsqueaks didn't have all this compression. It still stands me on edge just walking up to a prop and turning it for pre-flight.

They make a big deal out of how to do it, so you fall away from it.

[Thrashed]

I've never done it. I've been the guy inside, but never outside. I've been asked and I always say NO. It's not worth it. I'll stay on the ground.

[Major Lord]

Maybe they need a hand-crank on the side of the Cessna so you can start it like a model T without getting the Cuisinart treatment....

Major Lord

[Al Sayre]

When I was in HS, I worked at a small private airport in Upstate NY that had a lot of traffic from small older aircraft like Cubs and Champs, so I got a lot of practice propping them.  I never enjoyed it, and I would not recommend it unless there was no other alternative.  I'll sit in the plane, hold the brakes, and let the owner swing the prop...   

[a2capt]

Basically, it's been stranded plane retrieval for me. Starters, battery issues on hot days, etc.  It's that, or it stays there. ..and it's usually been me being sent/went there specifically for it, so I had .. some hobbs time to think about it .. 

[bflynn]

The ones that really make me shake my head are the stories of planes running away when the pilot gets out of the airplane to start it.  It's one of those things - you know it can happen, you know that if you keep handpropping without a qualified person in the cockpit...it's going to happen to you.  And yet, it keeps on happening, again and agin...

[PHall]

Just say no to hand propping. It's not worth it.

[a2capt]

Running away when the pilot gets out to start it, eh?
How about getting out ... with it running ... (!!!) not just running at idle, though. But ... at most of the throttle after they tried to get the Cardinal to hop the chock they failed to fully kick out of the way during the pathetic pre-flight.

...and ya know, if it were a 172, you might even be able to reach that from the seat. Still stupid, but ..

No, you can't reach that on a a Cardinal RG.

So guess what?





Now, you see the next line of rivets towards the inboard side?
That's the fuel tank.
Lucky day...





It could have been worse. Fuel, flying metal, sparks ..
I got to there about 20 minutes later, there were still little bits of zinc chromate floating in the air like it was snowing. The stuff was everywhere.

[wuzafuzz]

Hand propping?  No thanks. 

I recall a few hand prop incidents from my time as an airport patrol officer.  One in particular was interesting because a guy tried to hand prop his Christen Eagle.  He was solo, so he tied the tail wheel to a tie down cleat with cheesy yellow nylon rope.  Might have worked except the throttle was pushed in "just a little too far."  When the engine started with a roar the plane pulled forward and started a left turn.  The owner tried to get to the cockpit and rescue the plane but couldn't get in, at least not before the plane chewed it's way into a hangar and a big chunk of the airplane parked inside.   Fortunately the pilot wasn't hurt.  My report from that day (including his spontaneous statements) and photos documented it all.  Later I was "invited" to some depositions, and learned he changed his whole story before filing an insurance claim.   That part of the story didn't have a happy ending for him. 

We also had some fatal hand prop accidents while I worked there.  Glad I didn't work those.  Once I did see a fellow back up into the prop on his ultralight.  It lopped off most of his rear end.  Not a pretty sight.