You raise some very good points. I was with a friend, but flying from a friendly farmers paddock, not a flying field. There were no houses or people within a mile or so, I knew the name of the road but not actual location of the field, which is quite a distance from the road, although if you looked hard you probably could see the car in the paddock. I did have my cell phone , but cut up like I was as well as shock probably wouldn't be able to use it. I did have small first aid kit, but the amount of blood and injuries were way beyond its capabilities. Need to be prepared for the events that won't happen to me!!!!!!

Cheers

David

Update, Thursday 13 December. It is now 13 days since I stuck my fingers into the propeller of my plane. I have just returned from having the dressing renewed again and thought I would give a progress update. Fortunately everything is looking fine. There is no infection, those antibiotics must have done their job, and the swelling has gone down. However my finger still looks a mangled mess and it it has another 3 weeks of heavy dressings to go followed by a period of sticking plaster.

I have made progress on constructing Kelly Reagan's safety starting device (Kelly's article can be found @ http://www.reganspace.com/Planes/hands_free.html ). I purchased an off cut of suitable plywood and marked out the pieces from the plan. I went to see a neighbour with lots of full sized wood working machines and he cut all the pieces out for me, straight and square. This avoided any more mishaps as I find things difficult to do and hold at the moment with my finger bandaged and with the machines he also made lots of STRAIGHT cuts. I hope to get on to assembling this device next week. The one positive, I can't clean up after meals, what a nuisance, every cloud has to have a silver lining somewhere!


Remember model airplane propellers are very dangerous, we all know to keep clear of them, BUT one moments inattention, distraction or a brain dead moment, and bang, a serious accident with a chewed up or chopped off finger. Good flying guys.

Cheers

David

Well finally my finger has healed up and I can shower again without wrapping the finger in plastic bags and so on. I am lucky, it has healed very well only tender at my finger tip. I am hoping this tenderness will disappear over time. My nail is still pretty mangled and I am expecting it cause some problems in the weeks ahead as the damaged section slowly grows out. I used some 5 min epoxy to stick down some of the fragments and smooth the nail, it seemed to work OK.

I have finished the safety starting device as per Kelly Reagan's design, and are very pleased with it. This device enables the plane (and engine) to be put onto the starter working from BEHIND the engine and propeller instead of presenting the starter to the engine from the front of the plane and in front of the propeller. On test yesterday it certainly seemed to work as it I expected to. The real test will be when I go flying later next week. (My instructor is away on holidays until then.)

Hi to a fellow mainlander - ex Motueka. I've been living in Samoa for the last 10 years.
Read your exploits and dread the day that what happened to you, might happen to me. Although we may do our best on safety, it only takes a split second for something to go wrong.
We get TV One news every night so been seeing the great flying weather you've been having. Here, it's flying all year but the winds pick up in the afternoons.
Enjoy your return next week to the best hobby in the world.

Fly with attitude and altitude.

See Post 23 in this thread...I used to think a prop would never get me..after all I've been a full scale aircraft mech for over 30 yrs..I've worked on props, and jets..I've been aircrew on both as well..well verused in aircraft safety....My instructor pounded RC safety in my head as well...I always approached a running prop from the rear...
Thanksgiving has been 6 weeks ago...I still have a scab on my ring and middle finger....
Everyone that I know that has flown for any length of time has a scar of some sort....Starting to think that there are two kids of fliers..those that have been cut and those that will be...I hope not..
Be careful....and don't fly alone

You all are forgetting something. Accidents with a prop don't always happen at the field or with the engine mounted on a plane. I had a plane destroyed during a move and built what I thought to be a perfectly usable engine test stand from plywood and wood blocks. Even went so far as to use a pushrod on the throttle to minimize the chance of getting fingers in prop. I learned very quickly that you never trust anything as far as a spinning prop goes. Started the engine after screwing it down and was adjusting the needle when the right side of the plywood failed. The thrust from the MA 9X6 was enough to spin the engine around to the left and the prop got me three times before the engine was stopped by the plywood. I was fortunate that the engine was running just above an idle so I got a total of three cuts to my right middle finger that the wife was able to clean and bandage. I was also fortunate that the engine was an OS 25FP

I guess it is like motorcycly riders--there are two kinds: them that has fallen and those waiting to fall. I'v got some knicks of my own. I got distracted and wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. Sure was a pretty thing though

Yep, there's those that have scars and those waiting to get theirs. I only hope you can get yourselves into a new category somehow. I have a nice one down the length of my left forefinger. I started my OS 160 on the stand to run the remaining fuel out after a day of flying. I simply flipped the spinner backwards and the engine started right up. What I didn't notice was that the wings were not against the upright stops on the stand and the plane rolled forward about five inches. This startled me and I jumped back throwing my hands up at the same time. Natural response. You guess it, the left forefinger stopped that APC prop dead. The sound was not only sickening but so loud that everyone turned to see what had happened. Finger healed well in about 2 weeks and I switched over to gas but I can gaurentee you I'm a lot more careful these days whenever I, or anyone, is near my prop.

Been there, done that, got the shirt and shotglass....

Oh!! sorry to see that.

To Tsawyer148;
Ouch, man. That has really got to hurt.

If you are still 100% dedicated to this great hobby after that incident, then you deserve a medal. Keep safe and take care.

Kiwi,
Still in it. This happened in October, 2004. Still VERY prop shy, but has not stopped me. It's a good conversation starter with new members of our club as a "please be safe" tool....

This pic was taken exactly 1 year later. The end of my thumb and index finger are still numb and I don't think the fracture in my thumb ever completely healed. But, it could have been worse...

T.

Yes the accidents could have been a lot worse, at least we both still have 5 fingers! My accident has not deterred me from continuing to learn to fly RC, but as I have outlined on previous posts I will be taking every precaution to make sure this was my one and only serious prop mishap. Accidents happen, a moments inattention or focusing upon something else and then that sound when your fingers are getting chewed up by the propeller is so VERY distinctive, such a unique sound. I won't ever forget that sound, a sound I never want to hear again!

Although it summer here in the Southern Hemisphere and hot, it has also been windy where I live, limiting flying days somewhat. Still the best part of summer is still to come in late January, February and March.(Fingers are crossed anyway!!)

Cheers

David

An update a year or so on from the accident. My finger has healed well, with no pain or stiffness at all. However it is a little miss shapen and there are a few small scar marks, but it is of no matter. My nail is still growing in two pieces and still makes a talking point of, what did you do? However the nail is very slowly returning to normal, give it another year and it will be fine.

I am still keen on RC flying but am slowly moving my interest into electric planes and constructing vintage planes from plans.

Propellers and fingers, KEEP THEM AWAY FROM EACH OTHER!!!!! Looking at video of some people starting and tuning planes makes me sick in my stomach.

Good flying guys.
Cheers

David

One thing i'd like to mention about these stands. I built one last year for my grandfather, to make it easyier for him to start his planes, instead of bending down to the ground. I think it was the second or third time we used it, and he put his hand straight in the prop to tune the engine. I think he wasn't used to the plane being higher off the ground, and he would usually stand behind it, when tuning it. So be safe and remind everyone with a new stand to pay attention!

Hi Druff1
I'm the fellow who recommended the Engine-Starting Safety Stand shown on the first page of this. Did you by chance use my plans? Have any trouble with the plans? I never do anything to the engine from the front, except start the engine while using my Engine-Starting Safety Stand. Once the engine starts I move to the rear so I can safely remove the glow plug battery from the rear of the engine, away from the prop. This has to be an absolute must! I also adjust the high speed needle valve from that position. If the low speed needle valve needs adjusting (all of my engines are 2 cycle OS 46FX or AX) I stop the engine, adjust the low speed valve, and start the engine. If others have built my Engine-Starting Safety Stand why not post your experience here; it may encourage others to build and use the stands. I'm a grandfather myself. Having cut myself at least 7 times over the years, I consider the prop a very dangerous thing.

Yes, i used your plans. They were excellent, and the stand is awsome! I didn't mean to come off in a negative way. I just thought people should pay attention, like you said, and move around to the back of the plane to work on it.

Yes the use of a starter stand should be just normal everyday practise and procedure for everyone, but in my experience it is not. I even cut out and gave all the wood and associated parts to two R/C friends to make up their own starter stands. Neither has done anything further with them, very disappointing, yet if I am around when they are flying they jump at the chance to use mine.

Cheers

David

Hi davidbegg
With the starter stand you show in the two photos, would you be able to get to your transmitter if the throttle happened to be wide open when you started the engine? That is a stupid error that has happened to me about three times. With a 60 size or larger engine that can be very challenging and dangerous. The Engine Starting Safety Stand that I use and recommend can accommodate this error.

I always exaggerate safety movements when my hands are around or anywhere near the prop. Glad to hear it wasn't worse.

David:
Glad you can count to ten!!!!!!!! Just kidding, be careful. Even the experts make mistakes now and then. As a couple of guys mentioned, NEVER FLY ALONE. IF you get a bad cut from a prop, you can bleed out before someone gets there. Look at what is happening, think about what you want to do, be careful, then approach with dilligence and caution. I can't stress Don't fly alone enough, but you get the meaning.

Take care my friend.

David:
I forgot another very important issue. Spinners.... They do fly off at rapid speed, and usually straight forward. A buddy of mine, started his Saito 82, next thing I knew the spinner was flying by me and hit the ground about 30 feet behind me. I was in front of the plane, and that is another mistake. Never stand beside or in front of a plane that is being started. Always stand behind it.If it's your plane, of course you have to be in front of it, but helpers and others should be away from harms way.
I am not an expert by no means at all, just a very fast learner.

i got bit by a gws prop with a gws 400 electric motor
it wasnt spinning fast and i didnt get cut but it hurt like i got my finger smashed in door (dont ask me how i know that)
made me a quick believer in the power of a prop, not i have a lot more powerful motors (brushless and .47 glow) and im more careful
if the esc is connected to the battery, the motor at idle and dont get near the prop
i have those above stands at my field and dont start my engine w/o one (also have wet my pants starting my engine at WOT)

I don't see the transmitter being within reach as a problem. I have the starter firmly secured to the ground (I use a couple of cheap long screw drivers driven into the ground through a couple of holes in the starter to achieve this, works well) I have a 'u' shaped plane holder thing again securely screwed into the ground via a piece of coiled steel(came from a picnic dog restraint I found in the hardware store.) I secure the plane restraint about 500mm plus the length of the plane behind the starter. I place the transmitter on the ground by the tail of the plane. I am easily able to push the plane into the starter holding the plane around the main wing. If I need to adjust the throttle the transmitter is right by my hand. When the engine starts it is simple matter to move the plane back and put the planes tail plane into the plane holder, the transmitter is then about the wing area of the the plane and can easily and safely be picked up to adjust or check the operating engine. A friend made me a plastic cradle for the transmitter to sit in so it doesn't lie on the ground, but this is not necessary.

I agree electrics also need care, once the battery is connected , knock the throttle on the transmitter and the motor starts. Also electric motors won't stall if they hit something (including YOU) but will just keep on chewing. I am not aware of any light weight switches that will handle 20, or 30 or 40 amps which electric motors will draw, so a switch is not an option. However I am thinking of an automotive fuse (available in high amperage sizes) that you can insert into a fuse holder on the side of the plane when you are ready to fly. However I don't know if a suitable fuse holder is available, and this system is putting another area of potential weakness and failure into the radio and motor systems of the plane. Is this solving one problem and making another problem?

I found this link, this item is along the lines of what I was thinking of and was trying to describe.

http://www.atlantahobby.com/shopexd.asp?id=6606

Props are dangerous and fingers and hands must be kept well away.

Cheers

David

I often (usually) fly my electric park flyers alone, but never my IC planes. But as I have talked about previously, electrics are dangerous too, in a different sort of way to IC planes but just as bad if not worse. I don't know how to get around this one, I have no mates in the immediate area, I fly electric in the park as it is quick simple fun only a short drive away. If I went to the flying field it is a 30 min drive and at the times I want to fly there are probably no other members there anyway. Is there a solution? apart from a cell phone and a big rag to wrap around chopped fingers and being BLOODY CAREFUL.

Cheers

David