Starting Your Plane by Yourself, 60ccc or Larger

[dhal22]

Don't fly alone! There are just too many things that can go wrong regardless of your restraint system IMHO.

The worst injury I ever received was when I tried to fly by myself. Reached over the 20" prop and tried to remove the glow plug ignitor. And I had told myself already not to try to fly............

 

[yakken]

All you guys need is a pit bitch. [emoji6]

 

[Alky6]

All you guys need is a pit bitch. [emoji6]

Those can be REALLY expensive though....

 

[yakken]

Lol, not if you make your brother the pit bitch

 

[49dimes]

Well.......With my "moronalizer" I can't properly show how to start a 60cc engine or STOP it for that matter!

BAD DOG!

 

[stangflyer]

I know this has been rolled over a lot of times, but I live in the stick. The closes flying field is 1 hour away(one direction). What I am looking for is some ideas on what you guys are using to hold your planes while you start them by your self. I have my own private field and looking for some thing to hold my plane while I start it.

I have a 10' by 2" nylon strap that I purchased from D & B. Folded over at the ends with a "D" ring in each end, then sewn. I use a regular foot long heavy duty "v" tent stake that the "D" rings slide over. The top of the stake is folded over to create a "finger" that the "D" rings can't slip past until released. Once hammered into the ground, I loop the strap under one stab, up over the top of the fuse by the fin and then back under the other stab and around the stake. Them babies ain't goin' no where until I release them. Once my motor is started, I simply lift one end of the strap over the stake finger and sling the strap out of the way and off and flying.

 

[HRRC Flyer]

There's allot of good advice on this thread. I don't have a large gas plane yet, but I always help out my Buddy when he comers out to fly. He uses two ground rods (electrical) with some 3/8" PVC conduit and pipe insulation over them to protect the leading edge of the wings, but I still straddle the fuselage and hold the plane for him.

I know from first hand experience what a prop can do to your hand (or arm). A friend of mine was starting his 1/4 scale Extra with a Moki 210 by himself and the plane jumped forward on him. Luckily there was someone nearby to help him with his bleeding forearm. I forgot how many stitches he needed, but he fully recovered without any issues. The first time I "met" a prop was when I was first learning how to fly and my instructor was teaching me how to start my plane. Even though I had been told to be very careful around the prop, after I started the plane, I tried to reach through the prop to remove the glow driver. . . . . . . . Luckily, the motor was just above idle and the prop was a Master Airscrew so it wasn't as sharp as an APC and I just ended up with a small cut on my finger.

I am another one of the people who don't fly when there is nobody else around, unless it is one of my foamies, but those little electric props can get you too, if you're not careful.

 

[stangflyer]

Back to the topic at hand. We use pieces of conduit driven into the ground that receive removable pieces of conduit padded with pool noodles. For larger airplanes like 40% you can space them farther apart and use them on the wings. Very easy to use and very secure.
View attachment 40119

I've been talking to the powers that be at our field about thus very idea. There seems to be very good vibes from everyone. We may have this same system soon.

 

[Jetpainter]

I've been talking to the powers that be at our field about thus very idea. There seems to be very good vibes from everyone. We may have this same system soon.

It's simple and secure and it doesn't interfere with grass cutting at all. I would love to have them on a concrete pad, that would really be nice.

We store the conduit / pool noodles on racks on the fence line. You can see them in this pic. It also find it makes a convenient place for my glove.

This reminds me that I need to change out the pool noodles again. Their life expectancy is less than a year out in the weather.

 

[49dimes]

It's simple and secure and it doesn't interfere with grass cutting at all. I would love to have them on a concrete pad, that would really be nice.

We store the conduit / pool noodles on racks on the fence line. You can see them in this pic. It also find it makes a convenient place for my glove.

This reminds me that I need to change out the pool noodles again. Their life expectancy is less than a year out in the weather.
View attachment 40979

We have done similar at our Foley field. I will be asking for some at the Magnolia field too. They should. A lot of bigger gassers show up at their events. And I already showed them what a 60cc can do to a starting stand!lol