I think what happens is people get complacent when it comes to this hobby. I have seen people cut their fingers to the bone. The worst that I ever saw is a prop started at a guys thumb and walked all the way up his arm about half way to the elbow. Now that was an expensive and very very painful lesson to learn but now when I see him at the field he is always very careful around running airplanes. I have never been whacked by a running engine an nor will I ever be because I know, even a .25 size motor can kill you. I have seen guys reach over the top of a running prop exposing that vein that is in your wrist to the propellor. One moment of lack of focus and you could cut yourself beyond repair. I fly jets now so I don't have to be worried about the propellor but I do have to be worried about my fingers getting sucked into the front of a running turbine. I also have to agree with the guy who said use a helper and a starter. You don't know how many times I have seen guys trying to start a .45 or .60 size motor with their fingers and have the prop either kick back and catch their finger(s) or start and catch their finger(s) I just have to sit their and shake my head and wonder how shallow their gene pool actually is.


Just treat these motors with a whole lot of respect when dealing with them and for heavens sake PAY ATTENTION to what the hell you are doing.

Patrick