ROLLING Chicken Stick

[WMcNabb]

Welcome to GSN!!

 

[Richard M.]

Welcome to GSN!!

Thank you, nice to be with RC pilots that fly the big ones.

Richard

 

[Wacobipe]

So starting an unrestrained plane was the problem or hand starting?

He thought the plane was restrained....it just happened not to be. We are not all prefect at ecpvery moment....safety is about minimizing the risk from the unexpected.

 

[dhal22]

We get along way to good here for me to start anything so I'll hit the stop button on this if anyone wants but the lack of restraint seems to be the problem here not the hand start.

 

[Richard M.]

We get along way to good here for me to start anything so I'll hit the stop button on this if anyone wants but the lack of restraint seems to be the problem here not the hand start.

The lack of restraint was the problem on this one but there are way too many cases where the injury...some minor but some very serious , was to the hand because of starting the engine by hand propping.
Our club consists of approx 120 members and in the 7 years that I have been a member I know of two injuries that were from hand propping. One resulted in quite a few stitches and the other resulted in the loss of 2 fingers. Both of which would have been 100% prevented if they were using a starting stick.

 

[thurmma]

We get along way to good here for me to start anything so I'll hit the stop button on this if anyone wants but the lack of restraint seems to be the problem here not the hand start.

We have had both happen to our club members. One was with a smaller 20cc gas engine where the plane slid back in the hold down and when it started lunged forward and the pilot, out of instinct, grabbed for the plane, next stop, ER for stitches. He has healed up but never hand starts any more. The other was on a 3W 157 CSTS with a glove and it kicked back, HARD. Next stop, ER for a few stitches. the glove definitely saved fingers on that one but, the RCS could have saved a trip to the ER.

I hand propped for a long time and decided to give the RCS a try. It took me a bit to get used to it and not practicing first cost me an expensive prop. Not the fault of the RCS because I continued to use it after on the same type of prop and so far it has worked flawlessly.

The only prop I see an issue with would be a P-Tip prop. The props with the tip that curls back and up from the trailing edge of the prop. You wouldn't be able to get a smooth roll off the end because of the tip.

Not trying to start an argument, just telling what happened to a couple of our members. I will say that the RCS has saved me a possible trip to the ER when my 180 kicked back because I decided to not flip the prop hard and it kicked back. When it did it about took the RCS out of my hands and woke me up.

 

[dhal22]

We have had both happen to our club members. One was with a smaller 20cc gas engine where the plane slid back in the hold down and when it started lunged forward and the pilot, out of instinct, grabbed for the plane, next stop, ER for stitches. He has healed up but never hand starts any more. The other was on a 3W 157 CSTS with a glove and it kicked back, HARD. Next stop, ER for a few stitches. the glove definitely saved fingers on that one but, the RCS could have saved a trip to the ER.

I hand propped for a long time and decided to give the RCS a try. It took me a bit to get used to it and not practicing first cost me an expensive prop. Not the fault of the RCS because I continued to use it after on the same type of prop and so far it has worked flawlessly.

The only prop I see an issue with would be a P-Tip prop. The props with the tip that curls back and up from the trailing edge of the prop. You wouldn't be able to get a smooth roll off the end because of the tip.

Not trying to start an argument, just telling what happened to a couple of our members. I will say that the RCS has saved me a possible trip to the ER when my 180 kicked back because I decided to not flip the prop hard and it kicked back. When it did it about took the RCS out of my hands and woke me up.

Thx, I'll try a paint roller to see how it works.

 

[Richard M.]

I will say that the RCS has saved me a possible trip to the ER

Exactly what it is meant to do! You are not the first to report back with that statement.
I never had a problem with spinning my prop with the RCS, it just seems very natural to me. I set my prop at the 11:00 o;clock and for me that works the best. If your prop is at 1:00 o;clock you run out of arm (so to speak) because your arm motion is from your right side to your left side and when you get your right arm all the way across and to the left side of your body you run out of arm...follow me? But with the 11:00 o;clock position your stroke is from your right arm up and flipping the prop with the arm coming down on the same side. So with this you dont run out of arm. I have had several pilots write and tell me they had trouble getting a good stroke with the RCS and then they put the prop at the 11 position and said it then became very easy. They said once they tried it at that position they liked it and would stay with that. Others have tried the 11 and went back to the 1:00 o;clock also, but once you get use to using the RCS I believe you will stick with it whichever position. There is no way I will start a big engine without it.

Thank you Thurmma for posting that.
Richard

 

[Richard M.]

Thx, I'll try a paint roller to see how it works.

I tried a paint roller one time, then it went in the trash.
Here is one of the posts from FG Forum, General Discussion, Field Safety, Post #46: I highly recommend this tool for anyone messing with paint rollers. IT JUST WORKS BETTER! I have a second on the way and a third one for a Christmas gift. I highly recommend this product.
There are several others like it in the other Forums on the RCS.

Richard

 

[dhal22]

Ok, I get it. Every person that has ever started a gas engine has had half their hand cut off. But no paint rollers, its looks like those don't work.