EAA Sport Aviation

failed, either a friend has hand-propped the airplane for me, or I’ve done it myself with somebody who could be trusted at the controls.

Some of the things we do in aviation have a certain danger quotient to them, but I’m convinced that we have a good chance of staying out of trouble as long as we know most of the ways in which we are vulnerable—the not-so-obvious ways that something can sneak up on us from behind. Usually that’s because others have gone before us and found out the hard way how things can go badly. We know not to fly into clouds, even though they may look like a fluffy Disney version of heaven, because others have flown into clouds and have sometimes been torn apart. We know that on cool, foggy days, the mist can not only reduce visibility, but also adhere to the airframe and the prop, freezing quickly and degrading performance so much that the airplane can’t stay airborne and can even fall out of the sky. Similarly, with hand-propping, others have already discovered certain dangers.

Before enumerating them, however, I have to point out that this is not a how-to article. Hand-propping is not something you learn from a magazine. But we can list some things to avoid, some of those lessons learned the hard way by others.

Having somebody on the
controls is of little use if
you fall into the prop disc,
except to call 911.

BE NOT ALONE

Having somebody at the controls is crucial. Everybody in flying, it seems, has a story in which a guy he heard of decided to hand-prop an airplane with nobody at the controls. The wheels weren’t chocked, the throttle was left wide open (often because, in the story, the engine wouldn’t start with the throttle at idle), and it started, and almost mowed the

guy down, took off, and flew away. Many of these stories are true, although possibly the flying away part, while it may have happened once or twice, is probably just an enhancement intended to cap the story off with a dramatic flourish. Usually the airplane taxies off and does great damage.

What is certain is that in any circumstance in which the engine starts at more than idle speed, and there’s nobody at the controls, something bad will happen. For that matter, if there’s an unqualified person at the controls, something bad can still happen. There’s a You Tube video (you can find it on www.SportAviation.org) that shows a pilot trying to hang on to one wing strut of a Cessna taildragger that he has just started. The airplane pivots rapidly around and around, with the pilot unable to do anything but hang on, his shoes sliding on the surface of the ramp. There’s a passenger in the right seat who is undoubtedly terrified, but in any case can’t stop the airplane. It does not end well, although there are no serious injuries.

What is a “qualified person”? Well, another pilot, for starters. The only time I ever hand-propped my Quicksilver MX Sprint, my wife was able to help. She had flown the aircraft solo, so she was completely qualified. Even so, we worked out in advance what to do with ignition and throttle. Things can go seriously wrong if communication is not clearly established and words or hand signals agreed upon. “Off” sounds so much like “On” when heard through a windscreen or in a noisy environment that some other words or gestures would be wise.

(This is a good place to remind readers that the ignition in a two-cycle engine is “off” when a circuit is closed. It’s possible for that circuit to fail, which would mean the engine could start even when the ignition is “off.”)

Lots of people, including lots of non-
pilots, could serve as the person to sit at
the controls. All that’s necessary is intel-
ligence and a willingness to get it right.
Lucky me, I’ve never had an occasion
when there was neither another pilot nor
an intelligent helper to sit at the controls.
If that ever came about, the rational thing
could be to give up the project until some
other time.

HOW SURE IS YOUR FOOTING?

Do not hand-prop while standing on ice, mud, wet grass, or anything else slippery. Having somebody on the controls is of little use if you fall into the prop disc, except to call 911. And even then—are the surgeons in your area good at reattaching limbs? Just asking.

I may be the only one who thinks this way, but whenever I hand-prop, I first look critically at my immediate surroundings to make sure there’s nothing to trip over, and to decide just how I will make my getaway if things go sour. Always stay ahead of the airplane, we say in aviation, even if that means throwing yourself to the side to get out of its way.

A CERTAIN BEAUTY

It’s probably not a coincidence that I have been refinishing the wooden propeller for my Quicksilver GT400 as I write and illustrate this article: Hand-sanding, pausing to blow the dust off, sanding some more—it’s all part of the joy of aviation. All props are beautiful, especially wooden ones. Meat cleavers have a certain beauty, too, but let’s keep them separate.

Dave Matheny, EAA 184186, is a private pilot and an FAA ground instructor. He has been flying light aircraft, including ultralights, for 30 years. He accepts commissions for his art and can be reached at DaveMatheny3000@yahoo.com.