Villa,

I have a small 3/4 square strip on the rear of my bench that will prevent a taildragger type plane from rolling backward off the bench and the bench is tilted down a few degrees in the front. Neither one of these things will prevent the plane from going backward under full power and leaving the bench.

I don't understand why someone would start an engine without holding on to the plane. Bench or ground, that just seems unsafe. I have never noticed anyone actually do that, maybe I need to pay more attention. It must be common since we get a lot of comments about it. Maybe we need to post a sign on the benches to tell people to hold the plane when starting the engine. 

I can get my 30cc engine started by myself and I always hold on to the plane, but I like much better if someone will help hold the plane because it is a long way around the prop. If I had a bigger plane, I would not start it by myself.