Share your ideas for safe pre-flight and flying

[Wacobipe]

I've been thinking about safety lately and while I consider myself a pretty safe pilot and follow a routine when starting my planes, I'm always aware how one little moment of distraction can lead to blood and stitches...or worse. I start all my planes on the ground with a tail hook, and I've always been bothered watching our club members that start their nitro models on a stand, then you watch them with the transmitter in one hand while they try to pick up the running model and carry it to the flight line by themselves. Last year one of our best and most responsible members ended up with many stitches when he neglected to actually hook up the tail to a tail hook prior to starting his 50cc.

So while I am more methodical than some, I don't have a routine that is foolproof and totally minimizes the risk of serious injury. I was hoping we could all share ideas for the safest methods of pre-flight, starting, and getting our planes safely to the runway (and the post-flight to shutdown is probably worth discussion as well). I'll start with my process in the next entry but chime in and let's create a solid method to keep ourselves and everyone else safe!

 

[Wacobipe]

My methods are as follow:

Pre-flight:
- fuel and check battery status at the trailer
- move plane to the starting line and set in tail hook
- set my neck strap safely aside
- turn on radio and let it initialize
- turn on plane, verify all power systems are working and all control surfaces are acting as commanded/expected.
- verify tail secured, start plane (I'e used leather gloves, paint roller cover, etc...never a bare hand)
- warm engine and re-verify all systems working correctly
- unhook plane with plane pointed directly at the flight line, clear of all people in the vicinity, and taxi out
- take-off as traffic permits

Post-flight
- after landing, taxi to my flight line location, taxi just off runway, and use kill switch to shut down engine
- turn off plane electronics, followed by my transmitter
- move plane to trailer for next pre-flight

 

[Robotech]

My methods are as follow:

Pre-flight:
- fuel and check battery status at the trailer
- move plane to the starting line and set in tail hook
- set my neck strap safely aside
- turn on radio and let it initialize
- turn on plane, verify all power systems are working and all control surfaces are acting as commanded/expected.
- verify tail secured, start plane (I'e used leather gloves, paint roller cover, etc...never a bare hand)
- warm engine and re-verify all systems working correctly
- unhook plane with plane pointed directly at the flight line, clear of all people in the vicinity, and taxi out
- take-off as traffic permits

Post-flight
- after landing, taxi to my flight line location, taxi just off runway, and use kill switch to shut down engine
- turn off plane electronics, followed by my transmitter
- move plane to trailer for next pre-flight

#3 - It should be affixed to the TX. Even if you put it to one side it can slip in to the prop arc if you make a sudden move.

 

[Decal Dennis]

Sounds like a pretty solid plan

I basically follow the same procedures, except.......I start with bare hand and don't use a neck strap.

But I will say: I have been bitten by a 27" prop....TWICE!!

 

[BalsaDust]

I follow many of those same rules. Neck strap I always tuck into my shirt and I do start with my bare hand on my 55cc planes. My 20cc and smaller get started with a starter and I will admit I use a stand for them. I never though try to carry my plane to the flight line. Once it's running the way I like it I set my transmitter on the side panel our stands have. Then I pick up the plane and set it down in front of me pointed to the runway. Lastly I pick up my transmitter and taxi to the runway and always do one last engine run up before going up.

 

[dhal22]

I can't even imagine starting a plane without a restraint. Incomprehensible.

 

[Jetpainter]

My routine is pretty much the same. I do need to check my batteries more often though.

One thing I'm picky about is prop position. If the prop is on compression with the blade at 2 o'clock when I flip it my hand and body are going away from the prop and airplane. There was a guy in the club that knew absolutely everything and always told me the way I did it was wrong. He said the prop should be at 10 o'clock. To me the problem with that is your flipping downward and going towards the airplane. I guess it's to each his own, but I feel a lot safer with the prop a 2 o'clock.

 

[Decal Dennis]

My routine is pretty much the same. I do need to check my batteries more often though.

One thing I'm picky about is prop position. If the prop is on compression with the blade at 2 o'clock when I flip it my hand and body are going away from the prop and airplane. There was a guy in the club that knew absolutely everything and always told me the way I did it was wrong. He said the prop should be at 10 o'clock. To me the problem with that is your flipping downward and going towards the airplane. I guess it's to each his own, but I feel a lot safer with the prop a 2 o'clock.

I'm right handed.....so I place my props on compression at 2 o'clock as you do, so your swing across and your arm naturally swings back into your body and out of the props path. There is a lefty in the club, he sets his props around 8-9 o'clock on compression, that position allows the same arm movement.

 

[stangflyer]

My routine is pretty much the same. I do need to check my batteries more often though.

One thing I'm picky about is prop position. If the prop is on compression with the blade at 2 o'clock when I flip it my hand and body are going away from the prop and airplane. There was a guy in the club that knew absolutely everything and always told me the way I did it was wrong. He said the prop should be at 10 o'clock. To me the problem with that is your flipping downward and going towards the airplane. I guess it's to each his own, but I feel a lot safer with the prop a 2 o'clock.

I am most definitely with you on this. Problem with having the high side blade past the top of the arch is that as you pointed out, you have a natural tendency to swing "into" the plane and thus run the risk of getting caught in the prop. By having the top blade "before" the top of the arch, that allows you to follow through the compression and ignition stroke. By the time the motor "hits", your hand, arm and the rest of your body is already in a natural swing back away from the spinning prop. I have used a glove, but prefer to "feel" the prop as I swing through. Never been bit so I guess I am doing ok. But I swing pretty hard and pretty fast too. Don't use a neck strap...I feel to "restricted". But I "DO" most absolutely lasso even the gentlest and religiously reliable of my planes. It only takes once for an unexpected "glitch" to send that throttle up and get you before you know it. Never..."EVER" do I now or will I ever start my planes at anything above idle or just a click or two above. Even my incredibly reliable and consistent 157cs, 170 and 210csts "dubs". If they don't start and run at normal idle setting, there is something amiss and probably needs a looksee.

My pre-flights are pretty much the norm of everyone else's. Always check all systems and controls "before" I even start the motor. This includes operating throttle servo numerous times to ensure free travel and movement. Once started, again...all systems and controls checked, motor warmed and cleared out and run up just as you would a full scale. A quick glance at the TX. to ensure proper batt. voltages for both TX and RX. Flip timer, (cause I can forget how long I have been in the air...LOL)

Upon landing, again...pretty much the norm...taxi to threshold of start line. Kill motor....replace "PIN" flag and turn off radio. Move plane to secure area in pit.

One thing I will add to this: Upon completing my flying for the day, I clean my planes from top to bottom, front to rear and side to side. Wings, Stabs/Elevators, Canopy, Cowl and prop. While I am doing this, I take a mental note of anything that looks out of whack from when I assembled the plane. Hardware can and will fail when you least expect it. Hinges, control horns, clevises, turnbuckles, wheels, tiller arms. Upon returning home, anything that is needing attention gets fixed immediately and noted in my flight logs. Before the days flying begins and as I am assembling the plane...I do the same thing. Looking over equipment, wiring, servo leads plugged in tight to SF and RX. No loose or sloppy battery tie downs/straps. Also check covering for any issues. Usually around every tenth visit to the field, I re-torque prop bolts just to make sure they are still tight. Now and then, things are going to happen we don't expect. Such as the loss of a main wheel on the 260 a few weeks ago. But when we maintain our planes and follow a strict check list, most often than not we can minimize the effects of a failure. In the case of the "tossed wheel in the air" main wheel....it was a faulty axle and obviously couldn't be detected.

 

[BalsaDust]

I am one that is left handed and I do as Dennis said. I have the prop at around the 8 o'clock position making me swing the prop from underneath the cowl. It's iust what feels natural to me but I have been told at the field before I'm doing it wrong.

My biggest pet peeve with starting though is watching someone who will swing through and then before the prop has stopped they are already reaching back to do it again. For me once I follow through my hand doesn't move until the prop is sitting still again.