And one more time

Gotta love those hand propping incidents. Notice the pilot never gets hurt.
 
Funny thing is there was a another pilot that witnessed the incident. Why not just ask for assistance? I would imagine any pilot would be happy to help out at the controls for safety. :mad2:
 
A man piloting a Cessna 150 couldn't get his plane to start Tuesday evening at about 7 p.m., so he got out and tried to "hand start" the propeller, according to Buzz Hale, a fellow pilot who witnessed the incident.
 
My rule:

If I have a person I really really trust:

1.) I chock the wheels
2.) Talk through the process, make sure they're holding brakes
3.) I prop it then remove the chocks.

If I don't:

1.) I chock all the wheels
2.) I tie the airplane to something
3.) I make damn sure the throttle is where I want it. On the Flybaby I look at the carb to make sure the throttle is set where I want as well
 
Stingray Don said:
Funny thing is there was a another pilot that witnessed the incident. Why not just ask for assistance?
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maybe he did ask and the guy said no?


Stingray Don said:
I would imagine any pilot would be happy to help out at the controls for safety. :mad2:
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I wouldn't. I do have some experience with hand propping (learned to fly in a tailwheel with no starter) but this scenario violates at least two of my rules:
1) don't hand prop a plane that is not designed to be hand propped.
2) don't be involved in hand propping with someone I don't trust and/or someone who doesn't know what he/she is doing.
 
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The only awkward part of hand propping a C150 is that it's a side-by-side seater and the controls are on the left. I prefer to prop from behind the prop on the right and prefer to start with the mixture at idle cutoff so the motor quits if I can't get to the controls quickly enough. Given the swinging doors and wide cabin I'd have tied it down to start but otherwise I wouldn't hesitate. Because most of you are untrained and inexperienced doesn't mean your cynicism is warranted. This guy screwed up, no doubt. With a little instruction he, and you, could be fully capable of safely hand propping that airplane. It may have been easier in this case to get a jump but sometimes plane batteries die where there's no help around. A pilot ought to know how to deal with it.
 
Stewartb said:
The only awkward part of hand propping a C150 is that it's a side-by-side seater and the controls are on the left. I prefer to prop from behind the prop on the right and prefer to start with the mixture at idle cutoff so the motor quits if I can't get to the controls quickly enough. Given the swinging doors and wide cabin I'd have tied it down to start but otherwise I wouldn't hesitate. Because most of you are untrained and inexperienced doesn't mean your cynicism is warranted. This guy screwed up, no doubt. With a little instruction he, and you, could be fully capable of safely hand propping that airplane. It may have been easier in this case to get a jump but sometimes plane batteries die where there's no help around. A pilot ought to know how to deal with it.
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I find out this AM, that the pilot has had his ticket and the aircraft a very short time.

I see a lot of pilots that learn to start the engine using way too much throttle. when the engine does start, it roars to life at about 2000 RPM, then they reduce throttle setting. IMHO if the engine won't start at idle, it should be made to do so.
 
Tom-D said:
I find out this AM, that the pilot has had his ticket and the aircraft a very short time.

I see a lot of pilots that learn to start the engine using way too much throttle. when the engine does start, it roars to life at about 2000 RPM, then they reduce throttle setting. IMHO if the engine won't start at idle, it should be made to do so.
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NOW you tell me!
:redface:
 
BigBadLou said:
I wonder if the witness pilot really said "hand start the propeller". Sheesh ... :rolleyes:
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And to think all this time I've only been starting my engine...if I start my propeller too, can I expect better rate of climb? Faster cruise? :D
 
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