Hand Propping and Airplane Dangers
Posted: 2006-01-01 09:40am
In my on-going saga of flight training, I've alluded to hand-propping airplanes to start them instead using an electric starter. I've made frequent reference to hazards of doing so, without having described any Bad Things in thorough detail. This is because, at least in part, these Bad Things have not happened in my presence, and I can only hope they never do.
The following is an image well-known among pilots on the internet, and is certainly worth a thousand words. First, a little backstory:
Once upon a time, a man decided to handprop his airplane while it was still in the hangar. Normally, you handprop away from other solid objects, but for some reason he did this inside. It is also suggested that you procure the assistance of at least one other person, preferably another pilot who is familar with the risks and safety procedures, when handpropping. This is not mandatory, and the gentleman in question did not ask for or seek help. This is not a problem IF you secure your airplane so the airplane will positively stay put, usually by chocking the wheels although I've seen people tie down the tail. Clearly, from the result, this person neglected to take this precaution. He got the airplane started, alright, but then it got away from him and proceed to wander off, on its own, without human aboard. Since it was in a crowded hangar, it very soon encountered another solid object. This was the result:
I would just like to point out that, most likely, the engine was at idle when this occured. A prop at full throttle would be even more devastating.
And now you know why I both respect and fear airplane propellers.
The following is an image well-known among pilots on the internet, and is certainly worth a thousand words. First, a little backstory:
Once upon a time, a man decided to handprop his airplane while it was still in the hangar. Normally, you handprop away from other solid objects, but for some reason he did this inside. It is also suggested that you procure the assistance of at least one other person, preferably another pilot who is familar with the risks and safety procedures, when handpropping. This is not mandatory, and the gentleman in question did not ask for or seek help. This is not a problem IF you secure your airplane so the airplane will positively stay put, usually by chocking the wheels although I've seen people tie down the tail. Clearly, from the result, this person neglected to take this precaution. He got the airplane started, alright, but then it got away from him and proceed to wander off, on its own, without human aboard. Since it was in a crowded hangar, it very soon encountered another solid object. This was the result:
I would just like to point out that, most likely, the engine was at idle when this occured. A prop at full throttle would be even more devastating.
And now you know why I both respect and fear airplane propellers.