Hand-Starting – A Cautionary Tale

[RV4ker (RIP)]

When I go where I have no support based I fly with a "Jump Starter" battery pack for exactly that reason.... Weighs a bit, but I have spent a night in da bush before cell fones. It not nice....

[Morph]

Gulp, I actually had to hand prop my plane this morning. After 2 weeks of no flying the battery wouldn't turn the F$%E$%g starter motor. It started very easily on the second throw.

Does anyone have a second hand pull starter for a 503 for me? I am sick and tired of this electric starter giving me endless hassles. I have 2 batteries in series to try and throw the starter and even jumpering to a car battery wouldn't get it turning. And I have just had the damn thing serviced.

[ACE]

I hand start all the time, no electric starter. I have a decent park brake otherwise park the nose wheel up against something if you are on your own. Make damn sure of the throttle setting and give those spinning blades a wide berth. Still you can't be over-cautious.

[Morph]

I have a decent park brake otherwise park the nose wheel up against something if you are on your own.

I must have the only Challenger in the world that uses an old beetle handbrake. Works like a charm for stopping and can be used to lock the wheels solid for starting and run ups

[Morph]

When hand propping do you

1) stand to the side of the motor grab on a blade and pull down or

2) stand behind the motor grab two blades, one palm down in the direction of rotation and the other palm up, and then rotate the prop. As the palm down hand reaches the bottom you let go with this hand but continue to rotate with the other hand as it comes over the top and all the way down?

I use option 2. Johan Froneman from Saldanha showed me. This way you can rotate through more than one compression cycle. This is for Pusher configs not for Puller configs. I don't think I would like to stand in front of a prop and try and start it this way. Behind is better, if something goes wrong your plane runs away from you and not over you.

[Redeye]

When i did my PPL most of it was on a tiger moth- Hand propping is ops normal BUt I got proper training on how to do it- It would be nice if all MPL and PPL courses included a bit on how to hand prop safly - how to stand - how to hold the prop etc.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

When i did my PPL most of it was on a tiger moth- Hand propping is ops normal BUt I got proper training on how to do it- It would be nice if all MPL and PPL courses included a bit on how to hand prop safly - how to stand - how to hold the prop etc.

Agreed....

[Ratman]

Thanks Demon- some good food for thought. All the more reason to go flying with your friends!

[Junkie]

Got taught early on to prop star a Tiger Moth, which is way up in the air compared to a trike or Bushbaby

I get the heebie jeebies when I watch some guys props start (or pull start ) their eeries, especially when they dont balance properly on their feet and are in danger of falling / tripping over into the prop

The 2 handed approach on 503 & 582 works pretty well, but those 912/4's are a bit of a challenge hey

Anyway - I dont have a pull start (GPL only) so I have to prop start when the going get rough. I really dig those portable battery packs, but not really practicle to lug one around in a trike

Anyway - I certainly hope our British friend, Chris makes a full and speedy recovery and is back in the Air really soon

[Cloud Warrior]

Felt quite nauseous reading about this accident. I think that he is a very lucky man! My personal feeling is that I will just stick with the electrical starter no matter what thank you! Hand starting belongs to the age of Spads, Fokkers and Sopwith Camels.

[DarkHelmet]

Yeap - my 582 has electric and pull start, but after reading this I will be a LOT more cautious...

[Cloud Warrior]

Not the new Fokkers the ye olde type Fokkers!

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Hand starting belongs to the age of Spads, Fokkers and Sopwith Camels.

Take note jcbv :D

Yip ye olde (or new old) Fokker has a 447 which has to be hand propped. Ginna be experience as the controtion needed to get in and out is not condusive to easy single pilot operation.....

PS
Can't wait for first radio call at Rand - maybe something like this

FOKKER (uncomfortably long pause) VSY request taxi clearance for straffing run on front line (N3)

[RV4ker (RIP)]

:D jc I can see thos fokker is going to become an aviation legend with all the ragging, radio calls etc etc

Jip it getting there fast and I haven't even flown it yet