RE: Lock Washer
Throwing a prop in the air mostly happens with 4 cycle engines, and is an indication that you are running slightly lean. When it happens to a 2C engine, it is usually because the engine kicked slightly when it was started.
With composite props, it happens less often because of the stability of the material. Wood props are prone to changes in dimensional thickness of the hub due to change in moisture contend, so they need to be check more often.