Tom is a beginner.
Tom started his engine reached over the prop to take off the
Glow Igniter, Ooooops
9 stitches and 4 stitches on the thumb,cut into the bone also.
I said Tom what did you learn from this ?,
First Answer: "Hurt like a Big Dog"
"What else "?, I said
Second Answer: "Don't reach over the prop"
"What else ?" again I said.
Third Answer: "Get behind the plane after I start it"
That's right Tom !
I wasn't there when it happen,and I told him before
get behind the your plane after it starts..

Tom needs to get rid of the flight box
Tom needs to go portable.
Tom needs to get a battery operated glow driver to avoid cords getting in the prop
Tom can hook up battery to starter to keep it portable also

Tom needs to buy "knuckle pads", They look like miniature Kneepads that
strap to each knuckle on your fingers with velcro.


Heres a freebie. If you wear the transmitter strap around your neck while starting the engine, don't.
Also, shirtails make an incredible sound when getting caught up in the prop.

Ouch!!![][X(] Sorry to hear that Tom had to learn all this the hard way.[:@]

Ouch! What's he gonna do for an encore to this?

In our club we learn from day one that you do not reach over the prop. Helper holds and does that stuff while one is walking around the whirly bit at the front. Sorry for Tom, it's one of my biggest dreads for both me and my 11-year old...

Hope the pain goes away (and paint the prop ends yellow so that you've got some idea of the arc!!!)

I learned not to do that many years ago when I reached over a running Cox .049 to switch on the radio. Still have a small scar on the fleshy underside of my forearm from that one. Amazingly, except for occasionally getting a knuckle "buzzed" by the backside of a prop, I've been quite lucky.

About 20 years ago a buddy of mine and I went out to fly a C/L Ringmaster with a Fox 35. After a couple of flights, he asked if he could start the engine. I said, "OK, but be careful of the prop." Sure enough, after a couple of timid flips, the Fox roars to life. He hesitates for a second then procedes to put his hand directly through the prop (a black plastic Master Airscrew) to detach the battery lead. He did get some cuts on his palm but was upset at himself for his brain lapse. He said he was OK and wanted to continue to fly but I said we were done and needed to get his hand cleaned up. Fortunately, he didn't require any stitches.

Control line precision aerobatics used to score starting points where you had to signal the judges then had 60 seconds to start your engine by hand and get airborne. With so many top fliers going to the carbon fiber "meat cleavers" the frequency and seriousnous of the injuries prompted a rule change to eliminate the starting points and allow the use of electric starters.

About a year ago I was testing the engine in my Bud Nolsen 1/4 scale J3 cub and got my thumb in the prop. I knew I messed up when my thumb hit me between the eyes.....lol Hand was not attached to thumb. It severed the thumb twice before I knew it. Me and my wife looked all over the yard for the end piece. I found the middle piece..After about 1 1/2 hours of looking I had to go to the hospital. We called the police to see if someone would come over and help find it. Thay told me that it was not there job to look for body parts so thay sent a ambilance. Sorry for spelling it's hard to type with 1 thumb.

Sorry About Your Lesson.I Hope All Heals Well.A Few Other Points.Do Not Stand In Line With The Porp ( A Blade Can Come Off)
Do Not Hold The Transmiter in Hand When Starting.( Bumped Throttel).Do Not Taxi The Plane Towards You.( Bumper Throttle)
Just One That Burned me Up .Do Not Keep Pens Or Lighter In Shirt Pocket.( If Lucky It Will Only Go Through The Covering)
Just Things I Have Seen Or Done Or Herd Of.I Am Shure There Are Many More.
I Have My Flying Scare I Am Sorry That You Now Have Yours.
Be Safe And Keep Flying.

Are you serious? Was this like a 150cc gasser or something with a CF prop???

I was lucky i learnt my lesson the hard way, but it was only with a electric motor, i stupid stuck my hand thru the prop when i was bench testing to see if it was all hookep up right. It left a nice blood spray line up the livving room wall and along the floor tho.

mmmm... yummy!

Actually, he never even said there was a flight box.

I know that. The response was in question to the first post by Cyclic Hardover.

Dennis

The engine that took my thumb was a G 23 with a 16-6 master airscrew prop. Yes , I now carry the bare bones to start my planes. No cords. gloves , safty glasses. shirt tucked in. and never get in frount of a running engine. I NOW GIVE THE PROP PLENTY OF ROOM. and all the other safty rules that I can think of. NEVER GIVE UP , NEVER SERENDER. THAT IS THE SECRET TO SUSSESS...

For the neckstrap, just tuck it in your shirt while you are starting the engine. Once you are ready to walk away from the plane, pull the strap out and conect to the transmitter. After the flight is over. Unsnap and immediately put it back in your shirt. [8D]

I really believe that using a u is the safest way to start a plane and to adjust the engine, someone holding the plane is just another way to get hurt, using a u you do not have to worry about or tell the guy holding the plane what to do, keep your eye on the plane and engine and not on a guy holding it, that is what a u is used for, safety. also a guy at the field was turning over his gas engine with the switch turned off a guy came to hold it and it was his lucky day as the switch was not working and the engine started surprising both men, again use a u and save a hand, rollie

I guess 9 is the magic number. I reached into the path of my prop trying to deflect exhaust from my newly painted dubro scale wheels. 9 stitches along the length of my middle finger. Scars not going away even after 4 months.

Didn't hurt my finger as much as it hurt my pride!

southernlifttruck41 ,

Sorry to hear that!!

Absolutely the..... hmm whats the word... Would be inspirational but different... Hmm.. But Anyway thanks for sharing that, really made me think.. I've been hit once, by a ST 51.. No real Damage. After reading that, I really thought about what my 3W 106 Competition and it's 28X10 would do to my poor poor 16 yr old hand and arm... I start it bare handed but now might rethink that.

Thanks again