ORIGINAL: kahloq
ORIGINAL: vertical grimmace
It's a lot different. I have been hand starting engines since 1980 and have never been hurt by a prop. It is about understanding what is going on and paying attention. An electric is more dangerous and you have to be even more careful. I feel they are way more dangerous. IMO
No...there is ZERO difference. It's only your biased vantaged point and opinion because you LIKE gas engines. Me....once I have my spitfire running with a gas motor, I WILL have a steel wire mesh glove for hand starting as I am not taking chances of losing my fingers....either that or buying a big honkin engine starter to keep my hands away from that dangerous thing. Hobbyking sells one that will turn over a 300cc motor, but its $299
You said......''It is about understanding what is going on and paying attention''. Bingo.......same exact thing for electrics. You have to ARM the esc to get power to the motor....just as you have to start a fuel motor. The difference there is...once the fuel powered motor is running....it has to STAY running. Moving the plane around needs MORE attention then an electric plane since the electric....the motor can be stopped and doesnt require an idle while waiting, taxing, whatever. There are also arming plugs that can be used for electrics as well. Pull that out and NO power gets to motor if you install one regardless of whether the battery is hooked up or rx is on.
Its a different beast, but no more dangerous then fuel....in fact...in a lot of ways a lot LESS dangerous. They just dont make much noise and you LIKE a plane that makes a bunch of rakkit.
You're a good guy Vertical and very knowledgeable about gas and nitro motors where i am not. On the reverse.....I know a crap ton more about electrics then you do as that's where my expertise lies. My safety procedures are slightly different then you would use on a fuel powered plane and I know what to do and what not to do. I have never had a plane fly off the table or anything like that or cut my hand once. Because I know what I am doing and am paying attention. When it comes to gas motors, thats where I refer to your vast knowledge base....and to be honest here....and let everyone know Im not being anything BUT truthful.....did I not ask you to test run my turnigy 50cc gas engine cuz I know next to squat about them?
While this has nothing to do with ESM DO335, I love this debate. Experience, knowledge, and procedures can make both saf(er), but newbies without proper instruction can get in trouble quickly whether hand-proping a gasser or arming an electric motor.
I had a 100mm Tamjet EDF motor spinning at 25,000+ rpms. I had started plenty of electrics but nothing like this. Anyway, the motor would not arm so I moved the throttle stick up and down a few times (mistake number one)...suddenly I heard it arm itself and moved the stick to the low position quickly (mistake number 2). Kahlog can tell you what happened next...beat...beat...The 25,000 rpm motor went to full throttle and exploded the carbon fiber prop into 8 large pieces. One sliced through my sleeve and missed slitting my wrist by a 1/4 inch, the rest shot across the shop like a hand grenade had gone off. It's a miracle I wasn't hurt seriously.
So what did I do wrong to begin with? Anybody know? Beat...Beat...throttle was reversed in the transmitter. It armed itself with the throttle up and went full speed with the throttle down.
I thought I was a pretty smart, careful guy...not any more.
I won't bore you with my HexaCopter stories, but one ESC/BL failure and you could have 6 blades in your face very quickly.
As were learning...and even afterwards...its all dangerous.
Be careful out there.
jim