Okay, so...

Today I had a friend stop by for the first time in a long time. Anyways, I got to telling him about my recently found new hobby. So I brought out my Sig Kadet Senior and showed him. It was a beautiful day, so I figured, why not fire up the .46 La and taxi it around the drive.

So I fired it up. Just after it turned over, my friend stepped forward from the rear of the plane and attempted to move the flight box away from the plane. Mind you, the glow plug lighter and leads were still attached to the plane and he decided to move the box forward of the plane. The leads where perilously close to the spinning prop![X(]

I yelled "STOP!!" as loud as I could just in time to prevent a potentially bad situation. He set the box down and stepped back startled. At this point he drops a cigarette lighter he was holding onto the ground and it bounces over just inches to the spinning prop. And out of reaction my friend reached quickly for the lighter! Plunging his hand towards a potential meat grinder!! I imediatly slid the throttle trim down and shut engine off.

Wow!

My friend was trying to help me out moving the box, trying to be nice. I understand how someone, who is unfamiliar with specific procedures, could make a mistake like this.
However, dropping the lighter and plunging your hand towards danger is quite dim witted.
I guess one has to be 100% mindful about saftey, even when you are with the best of friends.

Our airfield had just put in "safety stands" to hold the models up off the ground for starting. A friend started his model and the glow driver vibrated off and tipped onto the stand and started to roll off. He instinctivly reached for it to prevent it from falling . . . right through the spinning prop.

Would not have been a problem if he had been starting on the grass like we were used to. Just a change in the whole "ritual" threw him off. But that's because we get used to doing things by reflex as much as by conscious thought.

Pay attention out there.

There are a LOT of Stupid people that show up at flying fields also. Sorry, just had to say that. ENJOY !!! RED

Very true. Like anything in life, you change a routine, expect problems. At least thats how it goes for me.

And Red, no need to say sorry. What my friend did was stupid, and he new it.

Before my very first lesson, my instructor took a decent amount of time to go over the safety concerns before he ever turned on the engine. By the time he went to start the engine, I knew the basic safety principles, such as securing the plane prior to starting is, standing behind the prop, and never ever reaching for anything close to the prop. I also knew what the wire hanging from the glow plug was.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but in the spirit of having a discussion about this topic, I'd say the onus was upon you (the more experienced modeler) to brief the inexperienced about the very basic safety concerns prior to starting the engine. I am very glad nothing happened, but next time you show off your plane to a rookie, you may want to spend a few very valuable minutes and go over the things we have learnt and may take for granted.

Other than the little fright, glad there was a happy ending here!

When I start an engine I do not touch anything until I have moved behind the plane. Once I am behind it I will pull of the igniter and do any adjusting I have to do. This includes if it is on a break in stand. Sometimes if I am having trouble setting the low speed needle or idle speed the engine will keep quitting and I will have to walk around and repeat the process. It can end up being a lot of exercise but I do not like the front of a running engine, or the side for that matter. If I am behind a plane there isn't going to be anything in the front of that prop that I am going to grab for. If I have somebody help I tell them to hold the tail and let me take care of everything else.-BW

Indeed.

I have learned something today.

That's probably what I should have told him. "Stand over there and I'll take care of the rest."

Better yet, don't start an RC engine in a residential neighborhood. There are just too many things to go wrong there. When I get a buddy who is interested, I invite him to the flying field to see the planes in action. Works very well.

I agree.

One of the reasons why its great to live in the country. Neighbors are 1/2 mile away.

Not pointing fingers here...but there are alot of lessons to be learned in this thread, both by the orginal post and by the answers......

I am and have been a full scale aircraft mechanic for alot of years...all the safety briefs I have sat through. Man I thought a prop will never get me as long as I was mindful of that prop.....Never ever get in a big hurry is one of the things you aren't supposed to do...a couple of years ago I rushed to get airborne between rain showers...I didn't go to the prop, the prop came to me.....a pair of shoes and 21 stitches later I was reminded what an arrogant attitude I had...and to check the throttle after you set your transmitter down

I am now convinced that there are two kinds of fliers.....those that have been got and those that will be got.....if you remember that, perhaps it will be a long time before you get got.

I have ran RC engines at the house, my daughter, who is a pilot, will hold for me....but I always keep bystanders away.......

This is starting to sound like a speech, I'm sorry for that...I guess I am just saying be careful

Good flyin to all

Good post and good warning, Jetmech05. These birds are not toys and they demand respect. If you don't give it to them freely they will take it by force.

My buddy and I generally don't let anyone next to, or in front of the prop.. Prop always pointed out to field.

I have seen a couple props thrown of the motor..You don't wanna be anywhere that thing can go.

Indeed.

Jetmech05's philosophy is spot on. And yes, these planes are not toys. I have the utmost respect for them and underestimated the dangers that I put my good friend in yesterday. Simply by not fully informing him of these dangers I put him and myself at risk. However, one would think that anyone, who is familiar with Internal combustion engines, would be weary of plunging their hands towards any moving parts. I guess you can NEVER assume that anyone is aware of inherent dangers until you inform them accordingly.

When you were ready to start your engine the friend should have been directed to stand behind the fence and to stay there.

Right.
However, I was not at the field, I was at home. I did inform him to stand behind the plane, but neglected to tell him that to stay put. I had the Kadet out in the yard secured with an "Aero-Mate" starting stand. There was no wings on it, simply because I wanted to show him how the engine ran and then perhaps taxi it around the drive.

I am a very methodical person (or at least thought I was) and am always thinking about my personal safety. Other than my brother, my friend was the first non-modeler I demonstrated the .46 La to. So I suppose I need to come up with a plan of action to ensure the safety of the ignorant (and I don't mean ignorant in a negitive way but as in they don't know any better because of lack of experience) on-looker.

We can all have moments of STUPIDITY. I stuck my hand into a spinning APC prop for no reason whatever. Thirteen stitches and a $3000 bill and I'm good as new.

This hobby is full of learning experiences, always be happy when it doesn't involve someone getting hurt, I try to warn others when I see them lapse in safety..it can happen to us all.

Be aware some people take a warning as an attack,

diced body parts ruin a day at the field.

Great advice, just this past weekend I was having engine problems with an engine that was running fine the day before. I also try to remember to move behind a running engine. The plane was on a stand, but for the first time I experienced the dreaded thrown prop. Off goes the spinner and prop just after I was behind the uprights on the stand. I am sure it would have left a nice mark if I had not moved around, just luck, but I won't forget it anytime soon.

I have no words.

Steve

My friend and i were out tuning a little 25. cub i have and i actually finally told him if he put his hand next to the prop again i was going to hit him. later he asked me if i was serious and i had to tell him i thought he would rather have a black eye then be missing a finger.

A lot of people (Family,friends,etc.) look at our planes as toys or "Something he's into or messes with", they don't know the amount of time,money,or dedication that we have in these things. And in that state of mind they could never imagine "A toy" biting as hard as these things will.

OkadaKeisuke,

I gather that you have a regular field you can fly at? Do you know about the field out in Manchester that the guys from Waterville have put together? Do you know Art Aube from the Hobby Shop outside of Skowhegan, heading toward Athens?

If not, let me know, and I'll get some of the local guys in touch with you.

~ Jim ~

I've told folks that these aren't toys, to understand the respect these command I ask them to liken owning an RC plane to having a pet chainsaw.... The business end means real business.

~ Jim ~

Jim,

Ain't That somethin'!

I know of Art, I believe he flies with The Franklin County Aircraft Modelers (FCAM). I have never been formally introduced. I do however know Wayne White and have met a few others from that club.
I am currently waiting for some good weather and free time to give him a call to see if he could assist me getting it airborne for the second time ever. I have been waiting patiently since spring of '09 (when Wayne and I first took her up) to try to arrange something with him. But with my summer job I had no luck planning any time. My goal is to get enough flight time with an expert to be able to go Solo. This way, with my crazy work schedule and when I have time, I can bring it out in the field on the farm and fly solo. I don't care if it takes months or years, I don't want to risk to fly solo WITHOUT any training from an experienced pilot. Although it can be very tempting, I put too much into this plane to screw it up doing something stupid. I do however like to take the Kadet out and fire up the engine every now and then and let her run a while. Gotta have fun in the meantime, no?

It's certainly a small world.

Noah