So easy, a 6 yr old can do it.

Saw a 60 minutes program years ago claiming that military losses at air shows approached a billion dollars, and that was years ago. Lots of incidents of casualties at static displays, including a kid who managed to set off an ejection seat. Again, quite a few years ago. The military spokesman claimed utility of the events for recruitment, and claimed the losses were justified by the high caliber people they brought in.
 
steingar said:
Saw a 60 minutes program years ago claiming that military losses at air shows approached a billion dollars, and that was years ago. Lots of incidents of casualties at static displays, including a kid who managed to set off an ejection seat. Again, quite a few years ago. The military spokesman claimed utility of the events for recruitment, and claimed the losses were justified by the high caliber people they brought in.
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Yeah, I remember reading about a kid who ejected out of an S-3 in a hanger at an air show. Heard about canopies being jettisoned as well. Then they started taping up the outside "rescue" latches at shows.
 
all preventable.

For the helo, pull a couple breakers or just disconnect the quick connect on the battery.
 
When ever I'm working an aircraft display for the school I'll pull the starter breaker. Besides that I'll let people play around if I think they arn't idiots.

One year we opted to pull the mag cables off because our MX Guy happened to live near by.
 
Ouch.

When we haul out the CAP airplane at the local open house, we tape up all the switches, pull all the breakers we can, and put covers over the PFD and MFD. And then watch the kids carefully to make sure they don't remove any of it, or the control lock.

You can't start the airplane without a key, but you sure can drain the battery.

And I still have to shoo people away from the prop, since the public doesn't seem to appreciate just how dangerous it can be, especially with a kid in the seat.
 
ARFlyer said:
When ever I'm working an aircraft display for the school I'll pull the starter breaker. Besides that I'll let people play around if I think they arn't idiots.

One year we opted to pull the mag cables off because our MX Guy happened to live near by.
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Please explain.
 
SkyDog58 said:
Please explain.
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I would just disconnect the battery and spark plug wires if I were really concerned. Both something a certificated pilot could legally do on a certified airplane.
 
If I were concerned to the point of pulling the spark plug wires, I just wouldn't have the airplane on show.


Disconnecting the battery is more than enough, just do one heck of a preflight after the show.
 
Disconnect the battery,and have supervision of the spectators at the show.
 
Quick disconnect on the battery...what idiots....there are no spark plug wires and the igniter is sort of hard to get to and safety wired..
 
Warlock said:
Quick disconnect on the battery...what idiots....there are no spark plug wires and the igniter is sort of hard to get to and safety wired..
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I was referring to arks post about a single engine piston. In any case, I'm sure Mayo had employees there that were supposed to be supervising and obviously weren't.
 
The chief resident receiving the call about the incident.
 

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Back when I was in flight training in 1973, they were having a Family Day at a Naval Air Station and letting folks sit in the cockpit of one of the jets in a hangar. Someone managed to pull the ejection handle, and the seat fired, rocketing the family member into the overhead -- messily fatal. The new rule was nobody sits in the ejection seat of a display aircraft unless the seat is de-armed (not just pinned), and if there isn't a crewmember at the cockpit (not just standing next to the plane), the canopy is kept closed.

One hopes whoever runs air shows and whoever puts aircraft on display at air shows takes this event as a lesson on why you need solid safety rules/procedures for putting aircraft on static display, because (as the Brits say), "there's always bloody someone" who's going to do the unexpected/undesired.
 
SkyDog58 said:
Please explain.
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We are not allowed to touch the aircraft in any way regarding MX stuff. We are only allowed to add oil. So we can't remove the cowling.

The MX guy happened to live near by, so he came over and removed the cables. This was so we didn't have to worry about the prop turning over by accident.
 
ARFlyer said:
We are not allowed to touch the aircraft in any way regarding MX stuff. We are only allowed to add oil. So we can't remove the cowling.

The MX guy happened to live near by, so he came over and removed the cables. This was so we didn't have to worry about the prop turning over by accident.
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Prop will still turn over no problem with the ignition harness disconnected from the mags.
 
ARFlyer said:
We are not allowed to touch the aircraft in any way regarding MX stuff. We are only allowed to add oil. So we can't remove the cowling.

The MX guy happened to live near by, so he came over and removed the cables. This was so we didn't have to worry about the prop turning over by accident.
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I am still a bit confused but then again, my "Please explain" probably lacked clarity as well.

When you write "mag cables" what do you mean?

Do you mean the ignition leads to the spark plugs or the p-leads? If p-leads, you just made things far more dangerous. Mag cables is not really a common or standard term.

I agree with the suggestions to disconnect the battery. Best way to preclude most problems caused by idiotic button pushers.
 
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