Prop Walking.

[articfox]

Figured I'd start another thread. Who's in??

Just re-painted my prop and hung it. Tried to start it and it was a no go, which I knew before I even tried to start the dumb thing. At least I had a new starter, battery and the plane was warm. All the defective new parts are hanging on my plane so no one has to worry about buying bad parts this week. Geez.

Anyhow, in the ensuing (sp?) prop swinging bonzai approach with 4 people standing around we noticed something somewhat startling. (get it?) My buddy Steve walked to the front of the prop after we got the thing running and man, the only way any color showed up on the prop is when a light was shining on it. It was quiet enough that if you had a hat on and if it was blowing, you may not hear it. The little white tips can't be seen, yellow ones either. I think the only way you could tell something was turning is if it had one of those little curlie cue things painted on the spinner. We were careful to walk way around the prop but if anyone else just showed up, I could see a issue. Of course you would have to be deaf but something to think about. I think I am going to paint one of those curly cue things on that spinner. I am going half deaf and fly in alot of wind. I have seen a pooch try and nip at the spinning blade tip (stupid dog owner, no leash etc.). I have had some good kickbacks, hand brushes and and so on.

Kind of a ramble here but thoughts??

[ag-pilot]

Good point Artic. 10-15 years ago a rancher friend of mine was going to check cows in the cub kept on the ranch with his teenage Son. The Son got out to open a gate and despite his Dad's warning walked into the prop after opening the gate. Its the worst possible scenerio because sitting in the plane there is nothing you can do. I have tried to scare the bejezzus out of my kids over the spinning prop issue but its easy to get complacent when were around them every day in the summer and most of the time while reloading the spray plane the engine is running.

Happy New Year

dave

[StewartB]

I have two absolute rules for passengers. Nobody can be inside the plane while fueling, nobody can be outside the plane while the prop is spinning. No exceptions.

If a passer by doesn't acknowledge they know the plane is running and take a wide berth I shut down. Same if i see an unleashed dog in the area. Lake Hood has an abundance of passers by and dogs. I don't mind the inconvenience of a stop/restart. It's way better than the potential of somebody getting hurt.

Stewart

[12 Geezer]

Good rules Stewart, too easy to ignore "just this once". Thanks for the reminder.

[Patrol Guy]

Would that 3-M reflective tape (that is on the sides of semi trailers) or paint on the tips work? I remember seeing the airshow team, Northern Lights show up somewhere once with their big yellow discs spinning, but they had the sun shinning on them.

[Grant]

One of the hardest things I did this year was to yell at my 5 year old daughter when she was with me at a fly-in. The airplane was not running but she walked with her head down, staring at the iphone she was playing with. I called her name three times, each one getting louder and louder. She walked right up to the stopped propeller when I grabbed her and snatched her back and pointed her eyes toward the propeller. I yelled at her that "this propeller WILL KILL YOU!" I threw the iPhone across the way and told her that she "HAD TO PAY ATTENTION around airplanes!" She will continue to get the lecture until the day I die.

She cried that day and it made me real upset but I know I did the right thing.

She is sitting playing a game right now and I interrupted her and asked her "what is the most dangerous part of the airplane?"....Answer, "The propeller"

[cubdriver2]

One of the hardest things I did this year was to yell at my 5 year old daughter when she was with me at a fly-in. The airplane was not running but she walked with her head down, staring at the iphone she was playing with. I called her name three times, each one getting louder and louder. She walked right up to the stopped propeller when I grabbed her and snatched her back and pointed her eyes toward the propeller. I yelled at her that "this propeller WILL KILL YOU!" I threw the iPhone across the way and told her that she "HAD TO PAY ATTENTION around airplanes!" She will continue to get the lecture until the day I die.

She cried that day and it made me real upset but I know I did the right thing.

She is sitting playing a game right now and I interrupted her and asked her "what is the most dangerous part of the airplane?"....Answer, "The propeller"

Put one of these on each kid and keep the botton in your pocket

http://www.k9electronics.com/large-d...ining-collars/

Glenn

PS. also works great on the spouse

[5191H]

In addition to Stuarts precautionary rules I always have the strobe lights on when the props turning on the ground especially during warm up.

"PET" PEEVES...The arrogant dog walkers/joggers at Lake Hood in the summer. Most have ipods plugged in and believe they have total voice control as their dog roams from plane to shack leaving presents.

After confronting one man last summer while he was walking in front of my slip with his lab running free off leash he responded "it's OK I'm a pilot also"!

I'll stop now before this goes to R & R.

David

[gdafoe]

P1020414.JPG
Not sure if you'll be able to get the idea from the picture. With the camera almost stopping the action you can't see what I'd like to be able to show you.
We (MAF) paint the prop tips with fairly bold white strips, each blade has a different number of stripes. 4 blades have one blade with one strip, next in rotation has two, next has 3 strips and the next has four. It is very eye catching compared to any other method I have seen. We have come up with this method as a result of years of operations in remote areas of the world where often during ground operations there are hundreds of people around the airplane.

[Widebody]

I have one simple rule. Whether you're getting in or out of the airplane, walk to the tail.
Haven't seen to many props that the tips weren't painted, we even have the backside painted
in the planes we hunted from. Trouble is, without sunlight you can't see it.

Brad

[12Geezer2]

My dear friend and supercub instructor Mr. Glenn Short (rest his soul, cancer at 70 yrs.) of Neillsville, Wi--- ALWAYS insisted that everyone stay BEHIND the wings.

[cub_driver]

Yep all passengers never walk in frount of the lift struts always around the tail stay away from the meat clever (as explained to me I have never forgotten the statement). Good habits bring good results.

Cub_Driver

[Rob Murray]

This is even more important if your Cub is on floats. Even tho there is a red stripe on the floats I insist that passenger(s) stay behind the struts when coming and going and am careful when using the walk wire not to grab the prop, particularly if the engine is warm. Best to use the spinner for balance, or the edge of the nose bowl and cowl when you are behind the prop.

[StewartB]

In addition to Stuarts precautionary rules I always have the strobe lights on when the props turning on the ground especially during warm up.

"PET" PEEVES...The arrogant dog walkers/joggers at Lake Hood in the summer. Most have ipods plugged in and believe they have total voice control as their dog roams from plane to shack leaving presents.

After confronting one man last summer while he was walking in front of my slip with his lab running free off leash he responded "it's OK I'm a pilot also"!

I'll stop now before this goes to R & R.

David

David,

Pilots are the ones who continually ignored the "No Vehicles" warning on the taxiway to the strip and got us that expensive new gate, too. Well, sort of. The tour bus that drove onto the strip didn't help things. Is the gate operational yet? I wonder if it has a pedestrian bypass. I guess walkers will just cross by the dam to get around it.

Stewart

[articfox]

Figured I'd refresh this thread. Have you ever heard of shiny-propeller vertigo?? There was a crash a few thousand years ago. I saw it in a clipping. This guy gets in his airplane with a shiny, polished prop. He flies off with the sun at his back. They figured he got vertigo from looking through the back of his shiny propeller and the flashing of the prop mesmerized him to the point that he crashed. I darn near went out and repainted the back of my propeller since the rocks have beaten all the paint off it.

[mghallen]

Yes to the strobing effect. If I recall during the second world war a number of navy planes crashed due to the strobing effect. Maybe you have seen the warning signs of seizures at some special light shows. This was at a rpm range and prop size that resulted in a particular pulse or phase rate. maybe an aeromedical person might chime in. lots of good knowledge in Aeromedical Factors for Aviators, an U.S. Army Manual.

Mike

[ndill]

Yep all passengers never walk in frount of the lift struts always around the tail stay away from the meat clever (as explained to me I have never forgotten the statement). Good habits bring good results.

Cub_Driver

Just don't take up helicopter flying then you'll have to re-train them to walk around the nose, tail rotors are wicked.