Well I just fired up my engine for the first time (An OS 40 LA) I had my plane up on a table and my four year old daughter holding the fuselage down near the tail. As I dont have an electric starter I had to use my Chicken stick and must have been flicking the prop for quite awhile when all of a sudden the engine fired into life. My daughter was screaming "TURN IT OFF ITS TOO LOUD" and Im screaming "I CANT I CANT" more because I didnt want to now that I had finally got it to go. (My 6 year old daughter was laughing from the safety of the kitchen window). She and I both managed to calm down and I took hold of the plane and let her walk around in front of it. I must say I was amazed at the power and could feel the plane wanting to pull forward even at lower throttle settings. One thing though when I did try and start it again I couldnt get it to go but wasnt sure if it was not enough fuel or too much fuel. I primed it again and it would fire once or twice and run for a little bit then stop. Is there anyway of telling if you have flooded the engine or haven't given it enough fuel?
Anyway it gave me a real buzz and I cant wait to let it go and taxi it around a little bit and get used to the controls.

Regards,

Troy.

Safety first. Secure the plane to a cradle or tie it down in some way.

The engine seems to be burning out the prime and then stopping. Check to see if it is getting fuel or sucking air. Look for bubbles in the line when it starts.

EXCAP232

Hello Troy,

Welcome to RC!!! The buzz is better than alcohol isn't it
You just want to grin all day

Anyway, if you think you have flooded the engine then do not try to restart the engine as you might have a hydro-lock (is that the correct word?) - with a chick stick it wont be such a problem but with an electric starter, you could damage the engine so clearing a flooded engine is a good habit to get into. What I was taught to do with a suspected flooded engine was to try and turn the engine with your hand (with out the glow starter installed ) and see if the engine locks up, if so, the engine is flooded. Remove the glow plug and turn the plane upside down to let the fuel leak out.

I with Excap to check for bubbles but I don't think you are flooding it. Does it cut out when it's idling? If so, maybe your throttle trim is way down and with the engine cold, it's cutting out. Try upping the throttle a little (but not with your daughter holding it - use a cradle or hold down as Excap says before doing this).

What size / type of trainer do you have?

Happy Flying!

If you prime the motor and it fires but stops, then you are not getting fuel. Look at the fuel tubing to make sure you have fuel to the carb, if you see bubbles then put you finger over the carb intake and turn the prop by HAND till your fuel is in the line, then prime and start motor.

Please,Please,Please don't let your 4 yr old around a spinning prop. I cringe at the thought of her getting into those spinning knife blades. Get someone with experience with these engines to help you if you can but again please don't let 4 year olds around your plane when its running. We will do whatever we can to help but kids safety has to come first.
Al

I know what your saying Al and I did make sure that there was no way she could go near the prop. She was at the back of the plane holding the fuselage and there was a chair in front of her also. As soon as the plane fired up I grabbed hold of it and she walked away from it. Its not something I would do all the time especially when I was out flying, I am in the process of making up something to hold the plane securely in the future.

Regards,

Troy.

Troy get some soft rope or twine and use that anchored to a post or fence or something, we use nylon twine with a loop over the tail end and it works fine, we do this anytime we start a motor here at the house. Then the kids can all stand around and look but not be to close to the bird but they still feel like they are part of whats going on.