"CLEAR PROP" !!

[Farmer_Dave]

Shout it loud folks. Then make sure everyone moves away to a safe place, preferably well behind you. With the exeption, perhaps, of your instructor. All sounds a bit obvious to the trained amongst us, but there's just been a nasty accident where a young man lost his toes in a prop strike. Horrid. He may have been trying to assist a tandem launch when it happened. No doubt we will hear alot more about this incident as it unfolds

[alan_k]

If you're in a crowd of non flyers shout it twice, once to attract attention and once to state the order.

Cheers, alan

[t_andrews]

Good advice Dave.

I cringe every time I watch a prop start (pretty common in low temps when batteries gag).

But to your point, the complacent among us tend to just say the words, rather then provide an alarm as is intended.

For those in the general vicinity, that are not paying attention it should make them jump when you offer it as warning. Consider it a method to ramp up awareness to where you are when ready to launch.

Good practice to yell it out even when you know everyone is clear - makes it expected and others follow suit.

All that said, spending time in close proximity of spinning props peels away the perception of danger when time passes without a concerning event occurring. This is akin to the intermediate syndrome where one's confidence overflies one's abilities.

I disable my starter via direct disconnect once grounded, as I had a helper hit the start button once (not armed to light up) and it brought the issue home for me - and generated quite a look of surprise on the assistee. Even at starter speeds a prop holds a fair bit of kinetic energy. I've had a blade slice through 6061 tubing like it was butter at just around tickover, so can imagine how flesh may react.

At the recent flight festival a pilot told me he once had a foot strike on launch @ takeoff power. Cut through the sole of his shoe twice and wacked him on the back of the ankle enough to require stitches on the bottom of his foot and nerve damage to the heel.

Lack of lower netting and failure to abort (Aw, I can work thru a little oscillation!) were the cause. All expensive lessons.

This one's a cheap lesson (for you, not the toeless fellow). Words to heed.

[Farmer_Dave]

Good call Alan. Shout twice. I missed that one. I remember it well though, as last Summer a student of Clive Bunce made me jump from 20 yards, and I had helmet on and plugs in. Shards of prop can fly 50 metres ! You wont be able to shout it too loud

[fanman]

Calling it twice is defo a good idea. There are lots of people who call it once but then only leave a micro second before hitting the starter so nobody has any time to react anyway.

[tj]

Hi Guys,

Is this worth doing;

'Check' shout "CLEAR PROP".

Check safety distance.

'Start' shout "CLEAR PROP".

Start engine.

Just wondered!

Tj

[alan_k]

Just the job Tj.

This can't be overstated, ROTATING PROPELLORS ARE DANGEROUS.

To my mind the prop is the most dangerous part of the whole PPG experience. If I'm introducing anyone new to PPG then I always start with a quick safety briefing about the danger of the prop.

It is after all the pilots responsibility as Pilot In Command to ensure safe operation of his flying machine. Flight being defined as the time from engine on to engine off, it's from the moment you push the start button.

Even when I'm on my own at the strip I always shout "Attention Helice", it's a good habit to develop.

Another point worth mentioning is having a 'dead' area and a 'live' area when there is a gathering, particularly when there is non flying public about.

Safe flying,

Alan

[outkast]

Just the job Tj.

This can't be overstated, ROTATING PROPELLORS ARE DANGEROUS.

To my mind the prop is the most dangerous part of the whole PPG experience. If I'm introducing anyone new to PPG then I always start with a quick safety briefing about the danger of the prop.

It is after all the pilots responsibility as Pilot In Command to ensure safe operation of his flying machine. Flight being defined as the time from engine on to engine off, it's from the moment you push the start button.

Even when I'm on my own at the strip I always shout "Attention Helice", it's a good habit to develop.

Another point worth mentioning is having a 'dead' area and a 'live' area when there is a gathering, particularly when there is non flying public about.

Safe flying,

Alan

Good call Alan, at the fly in we will be having a refuelling area and a engine running area, both will be well away from the camping site and anything that may get sucked into the prop or blown into someone elses.

All refuelling will only be allowed in this area and the only time your engine can be ran is in the aforementioned area and in the take field.

Dave