Dave trimmer

I have been wondering this for a while as i've been in this hobby for 1 year and have had no accidents.

LANNYBOB

it wont let me vote, so i'll take the survey in writing only once in the hobby when i first started out. i learned what not to do.

rwright142

I would vote "never" but I don't want to jinx my perfect record - lol

bruce88123

Your poll time shows as ended above. You may be able to reset the date/time.

I've never been cut by a prop but I have gotten friction burns from the back of the blades while adj the mixture. I've been very careful and even more lucky. I also ALWAYS use an electric starter. I need my fingers to work as I do electronics work for a living. Same reason I ALWAYS protect my eyes.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I've been in the hobby for almost 11 years now and luckily I've never put my finger in a prop. But this is something that most people only do once, and usually have very ugly outcomes. I have seen plenty of people that have put their hand/finger in a spinning prop, and each and every time involved a trip to the emergency room. It's not a subject to be taken lightly as a spinning prop can do some serious damage, including permenant use of a hand.

It's true that accidents can happen, but this is something that nobody should ever do more than once.

That's my 2¢ worth.

Ken

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I only got cut once - and it wasn't while starting. I was a kid at the time and to make a long story short, I reached around a prop and got caught on the inside of the thumb and ball of my hand. Even then I knew better, but it was an emergency situation (I was doing a stupid kid thing) and I reached as a reflex reaction.

That said, I never would start an engine with my fingers and I always make exaggerated moves around a spinning prop.

However, I can think of at least three times that my dad has gotten stiches

2HI2C

One more time than I wanted to in 30 yrs. (ONCE)

CHassan

My Feedback: (13)

1 time. Cut me from the last knuckle to the tip of my little finger. My fingernail grows in two pieces now.

MikeL

My Feedback: (3)

I'd think that one time would be more than enough for most people. I've whapped my fingers on a prop while starting, but it's been a few years.

I did get a nasty cut once. I was carrying the plane about shoulder high with one hand, and the wind started to take it. I had a nice sharp APC prop, which is where I grabbed the model to keep it from hitting the ground. The cut on my finger was pretty deep, and I probably should have gotten stitches for that one.

nitro fanatic

once. Around when i first started out i had a saito 72 on a u can do and i couldn't cut the throttle back enough to kill it so i would just grabed the spinner to kill it And one day i grabed a little to much. The prop slide right in between my pointer and middle finger even at that low of rpm It still hurt so bad that i fixed it that day, and i have never been bitten since

troposcuba

never. but i did cut myself really good on the back of an APC prop trying to turn an engine that had a tight spot. didn't even have a glow plug in it, just stuck and just like a razor cut deep into the crease where the index finger bends. never again even like that.

perreback

Twice. First time 25 years ago --- a .049 with a three-blade prop (not a very big deal). Second time two years ago, trying to reach round the prop of an idling .40 (slightly bigger deal [:@] ). I'll never do that again.

scratchonly

Do nothing but start your engine ON IDLE from the front and you should keep your record. Always have someone hold your plane or hold it tight against your stooge.

rangerstl

Only finger injuries were slicing on the sharp back edge while flipping engines over in the shop when installing props or after maintenence. Those props cut pretty well. I was thinking about keeping a couple in the knife drawer for emergencies.

N

shd3920

I have yet to fly so I don't have the privilege of any claims such as that yet . We are still getting snow here [:@]
But I must admit that I do get cuts from the props because of not sanding the edges smooth
Now whenever I purchase a new prop the 1st thing I do is sand the edges for a couple seconds.

orenda635

I did it only once with my GWS Slow Stick. It hurt a lot but it didn't do any damage. Fortunately I had shut off the motor before I did it but the blades were still turning. I've seen it happen with glow planes to one or two other people. It's pretty gruesome.

hurk1

Got cut once. Holy crap that hurt. Got older instantly and started to look at saftey as a good thing. And that was 20 years ago.

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Maybe the voting choice should say, "never.........so far"

That's my vote; after four years flying I haven't been cut yet, and I take every precaution to keep it that way. As a surgical nurse, I've seen all I want to see of fingers and hands that have been stuck in rapidly rotating objects, from blenders to table saws, and I sure don't want my digits to look that way. Plus, they never seem to work as well after all the repair work.

As club safety officer, I feel also that I should work to a higher standard, to be an example of the safe way to do things, even if it means taking the longer or more inconvenient way.

I still remember when I was eight, my dad brought home a Cox control line P-63 with an .049 for my birthday; we flew it once, then he damn near sliced his finger off reaching through the prop. It never flew again.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

I've gotten whacked on the back side several times, but only bad once. It was a Jett .50 at full throttle, and it took a good chunck out of my hand between my thumb and my wrist. Could have been much worse.

I run a lot of high performance motors and hope that I never get a finger into the arc.

Chondar

While I'm a newbie (only flying since December) I gotta say: starting the engine still bothers me more than any other part of a flight. I always have to stop and think, arranging everything where it should be: my hands, the plane, the starter, the radio, etc. every single time.

So far, so good.

jamesc43

My Feedback: (2)

So far I am up to 10 times if your include the thumbs. If not then only 8.


Ok. Maybe I am kidding here. I take prop safety very seriously. I learned to fly helicpoter before I ever started with a airplane. I managed to slip into the rotor blades 1 time. It bruised my knee but that was that was done.

I wa tuning a YS-91 from the back side once and managed to rub my thumb nail against the back of the prop while it was running. That enough of a lesson for me. I have not seen anyone get clipped by a running prop. I have seen a couple people cut themselves on the edge as they were tunring them over.

James
1234

jagnweiner

My Feedback: (1)

Only once in a prop and it wasn't while starting.

Unfortunately, I'm not so fortunate with other sharp spinny things. Last fall I got my hand in a table saw and lost most of my left index finger and chewed up my thumb pretty bad. The first five seconds you say "Aaaaaah, aaaaah, I cut my finger off!!!" Immediately thereafter you start saying to yourself, "How could I be so stupid?"

-Scott

oldhippy1

My Feedback: (21)

NEVER. I ALSO WATCH OUT WHERE I PUT MY RADIO AND MAKE SURE THE STARTER WIRE
WILL NOT GET IN THE WAY. I REACH CAREFULLY FOR THE GLOW PLUG STARTER TOO.
SAFETY CAN GO A LONG WAY.

Cambo

My Feedback: (2)

I got nicked once by a 16-4 apc at the closest section to the hub of the prop. Luckily that part of the prop is moving the slowest and my finger was okay.

pumbadog

I've only gotten as far as having that, "stupid, what do you think you're doing," alarm in my head go off, but I have been slapped while starting an engine. I wont hand start my 1.00 4 stroke anymore after it kicked back and slapped the end of my finger tips just enough to bruse a little.