And there you have it. I'm surprised this thread lasted three pages.

After 39 years in this wonderful hobby, I can tell you that I have seen a lot of spilled blood at the field; much of it has been mine. In retrospect, it is hard to believe the stupid things I have done, like sticking my finger into the spinning prop many times. When I first heard about the stands I saw them immediately as a safety item. By always following a safe procedure in starting the engine, I reduce the chance of something going wrong. When I forget, the chance is that I may do it correct anyway. When I saw a weakness in the stands we had built, I redesigned it, named it "Engine Starting Safety Stand", purchased pressure treated lumber, built a new stand, and donated it to our club. Others have donated 5 more stands. Soon we will solicit to replace two or three of our older designed stands that were built with plain lumber rather than pressure treated lumber. I think about and enjoy our "Engine Starting Safety Stands" every time I use them. If others gripe about always talking about safety, let them gripe. Safety is just too important not to give it a lot of attention. I turned 75 today. By thinking safety in ALL things, I hope to be flying my models for many more years.

I like my tailgate best working on my planes. I fuel and start on the ground. I just back my truck into a spot between tables and I'm set for the day.

Happy birthday, Villa!!

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Edited by Moderator.

I deleted the post you refer to in this reply. Sorry I missed it.

CGr.

Villa, Happy Birthday. I'm a few years behind you and share your views on safety. Seen waytoo many people hurt by not paying attention.

When I did my redesign of the benches, I left out the "safety" part of the title. I don't think the bench automatically makes starting the engine safer. Some people still do some stupid stuff, like not holding on to the plane when starting the engine. Where did they learn that? Another thing is not holding up elevator when running up the engine wide open. Did they ever do that when on the ground? Also, not paying attention to what the prop is about to hit when they remove the plane from the bench. For me it is more about convenience. Our field gets very mushy after a rain, with lots of standing water, so starting on the ground is amessy task.

When people our age started flying, we usually started out with an .049 and control line plane that we built ourselves. If you got your finger in the prop, you still had your finger. Now I see people start out with a .40 or larger engine on an RC ARF for their first plane. With the bigger engine and plane, it is easier to get hurt or hurt others.

I think clubs could do more to promote safety in all areas of the hobby.

For those of you that are having a problem with this thread, there is nothing wrong with promoting safety. If you have a problem with the thread and it's contents, well, hey, no one told you to read it or post in it.

If you have something that contributes, hey, knock yourself out and post away. If not, well, then, don't.

CGr.

Hi Joystick TX
Thanks for a very nice post. Plus I thank you and others for their happy B day greetings. I have a lot of fear of the LARGE propeller airplanes. The potential for carnage is greater than I care to be comfortable with. It is not because I am wimpy; I jumped out of airplanes in the US Army Paratroopers 26 times, including two night jumps. By the way, here is a suggestion that was given to me by someone else to improve my Engine Starting Safety Stand, that I want to pass on to you: To my design I plan to add or have added ( I cannot remember) a bumper to prevent the plane from moving backward to far and falling off the stand, in those rare cases when the engine starts backward. I see it as a worthy safety improvement. Here is another safety hint. I frequently fly my Pusher Canard plane that I start on my engine stand. The main wing goes on the other side of the vertical posts so the pusher prop pushes against the vertical posts. I use a rubber tie down to hold down the front tire to keep the plane from tilting up as I hold down the plane as the engine is being started. This is difficult to follow in writing; you almost have to see this.

My club has about 10 work tables and probably about another 10 of these starting stands.  Everyone parks their crap on the work tables for the day and we share if we need to.  It is no big deal.  As for the starting stands they for the most part just sit there.  Nobody uses them except for a couple guys with back problems.  Most people start their planes on the ground and use leashes to connect them to the work table so they don't run off while starting.  Your club must be very different then mine because people are more then happy to share things in my club.

We have a mixed bag of folks that either use them or do not use them. Some plant themselves on the ground, pound in a stake, and then tie the plane to the stake. Usually under an EZ-Up.

Others grab a bench and go from there. No one cares one way or the other who is using what. Heck, I might take along my EZ-UP next time and set it up over a starting bench..

CGr.


P.S. Happy Belated Birthday,Villa.

Villa,

I have a small 3/4 square strip on the rear of my bench that will prevent a taildragger type plane from rolling backward off the bench and the bench is tilted down a few degrees in the front. Neither one of these things will prevent the plane from going backward under full power and leaving the bench.

I don't understand why someone would start an engine without holding on to the plane. Bench or ground, that just seems unsafe. I have never noticed anyone actually do that, maybe I need to pay more attention. It must be common since we get a lot of comments about it. Maybe we need to post a sign on the benches to tell people to hold the plane when starting the engine. 

I can get my 30cc engine started by myself and I always hold on to the plane, but I like much better if someone will help hold the plane because it is a long way around the prop. If I had a bigger plane, I would not start it by myself.