da Rock

While you're not doing anything much, take a moment and check to see if the bolts that hold the motor mount to the firewall are tight. Then check to see if the bolts holding the engine to the mount are tight. In the last three outings, I've suggested to two fliers that their engines were loose. Both were flying at the time and both not only had engine bolts that were loose but had bolts that'd had their heads broken off by the vibration that loose bolts allow.

There are a bunch of "expert" fliers who suggest that balancing props is a waste of time. It is not for one simple reason. If you do check the balance of every prop you buy, you'll spot the odd prop that is WAY out of balance. There are more than you'd expect.

You don't have to balance a prop perfectly, but that's not a waste of time either. And you don't have to buy the most expensive balancer either. There was a "button on a string" balancer sold for some time. It was dead cheap and worked well. There is also a Dubro "field" prop balancer that works for props with holes that're in most medium size props and it's cheap too. They work good for rejecting lousy props. And are well worth the time, effort, and money.

I take the string/button one with me on every LHS trip. I simply don't buy badly props any more. And I put a checkmark on the hubs of every prop that fails my test and leave it for somebody else to buy. I figure the experts who think balancing props is a waste of time will be the ones who buy those marked props, and there will be a little justice in the world.