Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 08:00 AM - Re: Yak 55M Tail Wheel (racemech11)
2. 08:04 AM - Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10 (Gpw678@aol.com)
3. 08:49 AM - Re: Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10 (Roger Kemp M.D.)
4. 08:50 AM - Re: Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10 (Richard Goode)
5. 08:53 AM - Re: Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10 (pilotdog57@aol.com)
6. 09:45 AM - Re: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue (sajdds@comcast.net)
7. 10:16 AM - Re: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue (barryhancock)
8. 10:57 AM - Re: Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10 (A. Dennis Savarese)
9. 10:01 PM - Re: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue (Walter Lannon)
10. 11:41 PM - Re: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue (Didier Blouzard)
Message 1
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Yak 55M Tail Wheel |
If you don't mind, I would like to have a photo of the adapter also.
Thanks.
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=313483#313483
Message 2
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10 |
Hi,
I recently had an issue with my 52.
In the cruise at 7 and 70% after about 30 mins there was a large engine
cough and a puff of black smoke was seen by my play mates on the wing. This
happened twice more en route back to base. Not very pleasant as it felt that
the engine was about to stop.
All electrics seem good on inspection as do mags.
I believe a black smoke is fuel so we checked the filters and all are
clean.
Any help or ideas would be gladly received.
Cheers
Gerald
G-HOGZ
Message 3
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10 |
Most likely a coil failure in the mags. Back on the terra firma after the
coils/ engine have cooled off you cannot repeat it. Go fly for 20 to 30
minutes and you are rewarded with a heart stopping "Kaawhomp" with the
blades stopping rotation for a heartbeat and you suck part of the chute up
your rear. If you have a wingie at the time, they say you just had a big
puff of black smoke belch for the stacks. That being because the coil caused
a massive discharge the basically caused all the plugs to fire at once
burning the fuel charge in the supercharger because one of the intake valves
was open at the time of the discharge.
Change your coils and you will be a happy camper once again.
Been there done that and have a couple of T shirts because of it.
Doc
From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Gpw678@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 9:57 AM
Subject: Yak-List: Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10
Hi,
I recently had an issue with my 52.
In the cruise at 7 and 70% after about 30 mins there was a large engine
cough and a puff of black smoke was seen by my play mates on the wing. This
happened twice more en route back to base. Not very pleasant as it felt that
the engine was about to stop.
All electrics seem good on inspection as do mags.
I believe a black smoke is fuel so we checked the filters and all are clean.
Any help or ideas would be gladly received.
Cheers
Gerald
G-HOGZ
Message 4
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10 |
Gerald-that is almost certainly high tension ignition [magnetos;plug
leads etc.],not fuel,however much it might seem to be!
Weve seen this on 20 aircraft,and one magneto seems to affect the
other,so no spark;it recovers,then burns the excess fuel,hence the black
smoke.
It will normally get slowly worse!!
Richard
Richard Goode Aerobatics
Rhodds Farm
Lyonshall
Hereford
HR5 3LW
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1544 340120
Fax: +44 (0) 1544 340129
www.russianaeros.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Gpw678@aol.com
To: yak-list@matronics.com
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 3:57 PM
Subject: Yak-List: Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10
Hi,
I recently had an issue with my 52.
In the cruise at 7 and 70% after about 30 mins there was a large
engine cough and a puff of black smoke was seen by my play mates on the
wing. This happened twice more en route back to base. Not very pleasant
as it felt that the engine was about to stop.
All electrics seem good on inspection as do mags.
I believe a black smoke is fuel so we checked the filters and all are
clean.
Any help or ideas would be gladly received.
Cheers
Gerald
G-HOGZ
--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.
Message 5
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10 |
I had similar symtoms that were caused by a blocked header tank vent. The "coughing"
would become more frequent as the flight conditions were higher and or hotter.
Check the fuel vents by unfastening them and blowing light air pressure
through them. Be careful not to presurize the fuel tanks- only blow the air through
the vent lines.
Doug Zeissner
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: Gpw678@aol.com
Sender: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
Subject: Yak-List: Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10
Message 6
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue |
Given how easy it is to make a mistake or to have the mag cutoff fail what
is the correct way to hold and to swing a prop? I would also be interested
in knowing the safest way to hand start the M14P.
Steve Johnson
Yak-52 N9900X
0B5
413 522-1130 Cell
----- Original Message -----
From: " barryhancock " < bhancock @ worldwidewarbirds .com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 3:00:51 PM
Subject: Yak-List: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue
irds .com>
Gang,
I had an experience recently that I would like to share with you. =C2-Fir
st, I want to give you some background, both because many of you don't know
me, and I think it's relevant to the issue at hand.
I have had the good fortune to fly Yaks and CJs for over 10 years now. =C2
-I have ~2000 hrs. of PIC time, mostly in warbirds . =C2-For the past s
everal years I have been current in the following aircraft: CJ -6, Yak-50,
L-39, and Lancair Legacy. =C2-For the past 3 years my CJ and Yak flying t
ime has been more limited due to work and my constant commuting back and fo
rth from Utah to Chino in the Lancair , but I've still managed about 300 hr
s./year all combined. =C2-In the past few months we have had 3 different
ground up restoration CJs get completed and delivered. =C2-Part of that p
rocess is test flying the freshly restored airplanes, which definitely gets
your attention as a pilot. =C2-Included in this has been a lot of adjust
ments with the engine, which necessitates a lot of starting, stopping, twea
king, starting, etc. =C2-A lot of in and out of the cockpit. =C2-Well,
one day, I got lazy.....
On a CJ that I had literally started over a dozen times over the period of
several days between test flights, prop governor adjustments, electronic en
gine monitoring tweaks, etc., I was all set for another test flight. =C2-
Preflight complete, pulled through, primed and ready, I hit the start butt
on. =C2-The engine had been starting flawlessly, so when it didn't start
after a few blades I stopped and reprimed . =C2-A few more blades and not
hing. =C2-A few more start attempts...nothing. I decided to get out and s
tart over. =C2-So I unstrapped, got out and started to pull the prop thro
ugh....on the second blade the engine coughed and then roared to life. =C2
-When it coughed I knew what was coming and jumped out of the way. =C2-
My guess is the engine was turning about 1400 RPM....no chocks, no brake st
rap...and it started rolling. =C2-In the blink of an eye I spun out of th
e way and reacted. =C2-I knew what was at stake...get the plane stopped q
uickly or this brand new restoration as going to tear into a h!
=C2- angar down the row. =C2-
As the plane was rolling towards me, I got clear of the prop arc and tried
to jump up on the front of the wing. =C2-My timing was a little off and t
he wing hit me right in the side of the hip (the bruise still shows 2 month
s later). =C2-Luckily, I landed on my feet. =C2-I knew at this point wi
th the plane accelerating that I had one last chance. Simultaneously back p
eddling and planting to jump up, I grabbed ahold of the canopy rail, pulled
myself up, reached in and grabbed the brake handle with my right hand and
killed the mags with my left. Where the plane stopped there had been a Pipe
r Cherokee sticking out of it's hangar about 30 minutes before. =C2-Anoth
er 20 feet further and the wingtip would have grabbed a hangar door and spu
n the airplane into that hangar with the prop at something above idle. =C2
-It would have been ugly. =C2-
What would have been uglier is my body splattered all over that ramp. =C2
-I reacted to the situation and luckily things came out OK. =C2-I can't
count on that luck if it were to happen again. =C2-And neither can you..
...
So, here are the main things I've learned from this and hopefully you can l
earn by reading, and not from your own similar event. =C2-
1) =C2-Familiarity breeds complacency. =C2-I had done this so many time
s recently (and always with the airplane chocked when we were tweaking) I n
eglected to follow the golden rules: =C2-Mags OFF, Throttle IDLE, Parking
Brake Set. =C2-Any of these three make for a much less exciting event.
=C2-It only takes one time getting complacent to have a really bad day.
2) =C2-Just because you are current, doesn't mean you are proficient. =C2
-While I had about 10 hours of CJ flying in the last couple of months pri
or to this, I fly a variety of stuff so my habits for the CJ isn't what it
used to be when I flew them almost exclusively. =C2-When things got out o
f the routine, I needed to stop and double check everything.
3) =C2-No matter what, follow the golden rules for pulling through the pr
op. =C2-1) =C2-Mags off, 2) throttle idle, and 3) parking brake (in the
case of the CJ , a velcro strap) in place. =C2-
I got lucky. =C2-I could have turned into prop-sui. =C2-I could have go
tten someone else hurt. =C2-The plane could have been destroyed. =C2-Lo
ts of other bad things were possible. =C2-Honestly, it was my athleticism
that saved me...not something I'd like to count on again, and something th
at left guys like Pappy a few years ago. =C2-;)- =C2-The other thing th
at saved me was proper technique on pulling the prop through. =C2-One thi
ng I have in my head is to treat that prop like a loaded gun. =C2-I see g
uys that get their body in the prop arc when pulling blades through and it
makes me cringe. =C2-Had I done that, I likely would not be writing this.
Things go well for so long we sometimes forget how narrow the line is betwe
en fun and death in this business. =C2-I remember now...and hopefully you
do to.
Happy Flying!
Barry
--------
Barry Hancock
Worldwide Warbirds , Inc.
(909) 606-4444
www . worldwidewarbirds .com
Read this topic online here:
http ://forums. matronics .com/ viewtopic . php ?p=313411#313411
===========
===========
MS -
===========
e -
=C2- =C2- =C2- =C2- =C2--Matt Dralle , List Admin.
===========
Message 7
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue |
Steve,
I'm glad you asked! First, treat it like a loaded gun. Assuming you've already
double checked the mags are off, throttle is at idle, and parking brake is engaged,
the main thing is to keep your body parts out of the prop arc and when
you pull on the blades have your weight pulling not only across the prop arc,
but away from it so if it did fire you would fall away from the prop. On the
Housai I can swing the blade pretty easily with on hand, kind of like a softball
pitch (which is luckily what I was doing on that fateful day). On the M14P,
that's not easy, at best. So, because the M14P requires more force to move
the blades, it takes two hands. Again, the big thing is to have all your parts
clear of the arc and lean slightly away from the prop as you pull it through.
I doubt you'll get anyone to give you advice on how to hand prop on this forum....but
I offer this for your consideration. ;)
http://wn.com/FAA_Hand-Propping_Accident_Video
There are online sources and guides to hand propping, but it's dangerous business...
Happy Flying,
Barry
--------
Barry Hancock
Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
(909) 606-4444
www.worldwidewarbirds.com
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=313508#313508
Message 8
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10 |
You have a bad coil in one of the mags. The only way to duplicate it on
the ground is to close the cooling louvers and get the engine temp up to
about 220. The coil may start breaking down and you will be able to
isolate it by the mag switch. Then you know which mag to pull.
Dennis
----- Original Message -----
From: Gpw678@aol.com
To: yak-list@matronics.com
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 9:57 AM
Subject: Yak-List: Re: Yak-List Digest: 17 Msgs - 09/22/10
Hi,
I recently had an issue with my 52.
In the cruise at 7 and 70% after about 30 mins there was a large
engine cough and a puff of black smoke was seen by my play mates on the
wing. This happened twice more en route back to base. Not very pleasant
as it felt that the engine was about to stop.
All electrics seem good on inspection as do mags.
I believe a black smoke is fuel so we checked the filters and all are
clean.
Any help or ideas would be gladly received.
Cheers
Gerald
G-HOGZ
Message 9
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue |
I will describe the method I have used for many years to hand start small, direct
drive, aircraft engines but first there are rules that you ignore at your peril.
1. There must be a qualified person in the cockpit.
2. There must be an agreed and fully understood set of challenges and respnses
between that person and you.
3. The propellor must have no more than two blades.
4. There must be a prop. blade position available with a piston at TDC that is
at a comfortable height for you. Neither too low, causing you to bend toward
the prop. or too high causing a stretch that may put you off balance or reach
TDC while you are still pulling.
5. Good ground conditions at prop. area. No loose gravel, wet grass, snow, ice,
etc. to compromise footing.
If not already familiar with the aircraft the first step, before priming, is to
determine if rule # 4 can be met. Your challenge would be "Brakes set, Throttle
closed, Mixture lean, Switches off" After receiving the same response pull
the prop through preferrably from the tip while keeping all parts of your body
out of the prop. arc until you determine if an adequate blade position is possible.
Even though you are absolutley certain that the engine can not possibly
start you must handle the prop. as though it were live. Use the number of
fingertips you think you can live without and stay to hell out of the prop arc.
It may be be necessary to repeat that procedure with the engine primed in order
to return to the best blade position. The same cautions apply but much more
critically..
Primed and ready to start. Challenge " Brakes set, Throttle set (best start position
- usually just slightly above idle), Switch on, Contact". Same response
received. With both hands slightly ouboard of mid blade, body position leaning
slightly towards prop with no bending, one foot forward then step backwards
as you pull down and release blade just before TDC. Done correctly you will
be a full step, or two, away as the engine starts.
As noted above this procedure applies to direct drive engines. I do not believe
there is any SAFE method of hand starting a geared engine such as the Huosai
and M14. Of course it has been done many times but I do not recommend it. With
a 3 blade propellor installed I would consider it suicidal.
Walt
----- Original Message -----
From: sajdds@comcast.net
To: yak-list@matronics.com
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 9:15 AM
Subject: Re: Yak-List: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue
Given how easy it is to make a mistake or to have the mag cutoff fail what is
the correct way to hold and to swing a prop? I would also be interested in knowing
the safest way to hand start the M14P.
Steve Johnson
Yak-52 N9900X
0B5
413 522-1130 Cell
----- Original Message -----
From: "barryhancock" <bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
To: yak-list@matronics.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 3:00:51 PM
Subject: Yak-List: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue
Gang,
I had an experience recently that I would like to share with you. First, I want
to give you some background, both because many of you don't know me, and I
think it's relevant to the issue at hand.
I have had the good fortune to fly Yaks and CJs for over 10 years now. I have
~2000 hrs. of PIC time, mostly in warbirds. For the past several years I have
been current in the following aircraft: CJ-6, Yak-50, L-39, and Lancair Legacy.
For the past 3 years my CJ and Yak flying time has been more limited due
to work and my constant commuting back and forth from Utah to Chino in the Lancair,
but I've still managed about 300 hrs./year all combined. In the past few
months we have had 3 different ground up restoration CJs get completed and
delivered. Part of that process is test flying the freshly restored airplanes,
which definitely gets your attention as a pilot. Included in this has been
a lot of adjustments with the engine, which necessitates a lot of starting, stopping,
tweaking, starting, etc. A lot of in and out of the cockpit. Well, one
day, I got lazy.....
On a CJ that I had literally started over a dozen times over the period of several
days between test flights, prop governor adjustments, electronic engine
monitoring tweaks, etc., I was all set for another test flight. Preflight complete,
pulled through, primed and ready, I hit the start button. The engine had
been starting flawlessly, so when it didn't start after a few blades I stopped
and reprimed. A few more blades and nothing. A few more start attempts...nothing.
I decided to get out and start over. So I unstrapped, got out and started
to pull the prop through....on the second blade the engine coughed and
then roared to life. When it coughed I knew what was coming and jumped out of
the way. My guess is the engine was turning about 1400 RPM....no chocks, no
brake strap...and it started rolling. In the blink of an eye I spun out of the
way and reacted. I knew what was at stake...get the plane stopped quickly or
this brand new restoration as going to tear into a
h!
angar down the row.
As the plane was rolling towards me, I got clear of the prop arc and tried to
jump up on the front of the wing. My timing was a little off and the wing hit
me right in the side of the hip (the bruise still shows 2 months later). Luckily,
I landed on my feet. I knew at this point with the plane accelerating
that I had one last chance. Simultaneously back peddling and planting to jump
up, I grabbed ahold of the canopy rail, pulled myself up, reached in and grabbed
the brake handle with my right hand and killed the mags with my left. Where
the plane stopped there had been a Piper Cherokee sticking out of it's hangar
about 30 minutes before. Another 20 feet further and the wingtip would have
grabbed a hangar door and spun the airplane into that hangar with the prop at
something above idle. It would have been ugly.
What would have been uglier is my body splattered all over that ramp. I reacted
to the situation and luckily things came out OK. I can't count on that luck
if it were to happen again. And neither can you.....
So, here are the main things I've learned from this and hopefully you can learn
by reading, and not from your own similar event.
1) Familiarity breeds complacency. I had done this so many times recently (and
always with the airplane chocked when we were tweaking) I neglected to follow
the golden rules: Mags OFF, Throttle IDLE, Parking Brake Set. Any of these
three make for a much less exciting event. It only takes one time getting
complacent to have a really bad day.
2) Just because you are current, doesn't mean you are proficient. While I had
about 10 hours of CJ flying in the last couple of months prior to this, I fly
a variety of stuff so my habits for the CJ isn't what it used to be when I
flew them almost exclusively. When things got out of the routine, I needed to
stop and double check everything.
3) No matter what, follow the golden rules for pulling through the prop. 1)
Mags off, 2) throttle idle, and 3) parking brake (in the case of the CJ, a velcro
strap) in place.
I got lucky. I could have turned into prop-sui. I could have gotten someone
else hurt. The plane could have been destroyed. Lots of other bad things were
possible. Honestly, it was my athleticism that saved me...not something I'd
like to count on again, and something that left guys like Pappy a few years
ago. ;)- The other thing that saved me was proper technique on pulling the prop
through. One thing I have in my head is to treat that prop like a loaded
gun. I see guys that get their body in the prop arc when pulling blades through
and it makes me cringe. Had I done that, I likely would not be writing this.
Things go well for so long we sometimes forget how narrow the line is between
fun and death in this business. I remember now...and hopefully you do to.
Happy Flying!
Barry
--------
Barry Hancock
Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
(909) 606-4444
www.worldwidewarbirds.com
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=313411#313411_p; &n===================
Message 10
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue |
Indeed,
it is easy to make a mistake......yes and no!!!
In the world of safety, there are always multiples factors leading you to a
risk.
So if there is one point of procedure not usual, question yourself and find
the reason before going further.
But mainly youcan get away of a lot of risk by following procedures.
Because following procedures let your mind plenty of time to take in
account the unpredictable events.
We have the luck to have a few people on this list giving us good
procedures so read them, make them yours and apply them systematicaly.
For hand starting .... I have never read any procedure.... just a few :
"pull and stay away of the blade" .
I've heard some of the good eastern mechanic say that they start with a rope
(a buckle over one blade) in order to avoid being in front or close to the
prop.
So apply procedures and be safe....well...safer!!!
Didier
2010/9/23 <sajdds@comcast.net>
> Given how easy it is to make a mistake or to have the mag cutoff fail what
> is the correct way to hold and to swing a prop? I would also be interested
> in knowing the safest way to hand start the M14P.
>
> Steve Johnson
> Yak-52 N9900X
> 0B5
> 413 522-1130 Cell
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "barryhancock" <bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
> To: yak-list@matronics.com
> Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 3:00:51 PM
> Subject: Yak-List: Getting caught off guard, a life and death issue
>
> bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
>
> Gang,
>
> I had an experience recently that I would like to share with you. First, I
> want to give you some background, both because many of you don't know me,
> and I think it's relevant to the issue at hand.
>
> I have had the good fortune to fly Yaks and CJs for over 10 years now. I
> have ~2000 hrs. of PIC time, mostly in warbirds. For the past several years
> I have been current in the following aircraft: CJ-6, Yak-50, L-39, and
> Lancair Legacy. For the past 3 years my CJ and Yak flying time has been
> more limited due to work and my constant commuting back and forth from Utah
> to Chino in the Lancair, but I've still managed about 300 hrs./year all
> combined. In the past few months we have had 3 different ground up
> restoration CJs get completed and delivered. Part of that process is test
> flying the freshly restored airplanes, which definitely gets your attention
> as a pilot. Included in this has been a lot of adjustments with the engine,
> which necessitates a lot of starting, stopping, tweaking, starting, etc. A
> lot of in and out of the cockpit. Well, one day, I got lazy.....
>
> On a CJ that I had literally started over a dozen times over the period of
> several days between test flights, prop governor adjustments, electronic
> engine monitoring tweaks, etc., I was all set for another test flight.
> Preflight complete, pulled through, primed and ready, I hit the start
> button. The engine had been starting flawlessly, so when it didn't start
> after a few blades I stopped and reprimed. A few more blades and nothing.
> A few more start attempts...nothing. I decided to get out and start over.
> So I unstrapped, got out and started to pull the prop through....on the
> second blade the engine coughed and then roared to life. When it coughed I
> knew what was coming and jumped out of the way. My guess is the engine was
> turning about 1400 RPM....no chocks, no brake strap...and it started
> rolling. In the blink of an eye I spun out of the way and reacted. I knew
> what was at stake...get the plane stopped quickly or this brand new
> restoration as going to tear into a h!
> angar down the row.
>
> As the plane was rolling towards me, I got clear of the prop arc and tried
> to jump up on the front of the wing. My timing was a little off and the
> wing hit me right in the side of the hip (the bruise still shows 2 months
> later). Luckily, I landed on my feet. I knew at this point with the plane
> accelerating that I had one last chance. Simultaneously back peddling and
> planting to jump up, I grabbed ahold of the canopy rail, pulled myself up,
> reached in and grabbed the brake handle with my right hand and killed the
> mags with my left. Where the plane stopped there had been a Piper Cherokee
> sticking out of it's hangar about 30 minutes before. Another 20 feet
> further and the wingtip would have grabbed a hangar door and spun the
> airplane into that hangar with the prop at something above idle. It would
> have been ugly.
>
> What would have been uglier is my body splattered all over that ramp. I
> reacted to the situation and luckily things came out OK. I can't count on
> that luck if it were to happen again. And neither can you.....
>
> So, here are the main things I've learned from this and hopefully you can
> learn by reading, and not from your own similar event.
>
> 1) Familiarity breeds complacency. I had done this so many times recently
> (and always with the airplane chocked when we were tweaking) I neglected to
> follow the golden rules: Mags OFF, Throttle IDLE, Parking Brake Set. Any
> of these three make for a much less exciting event. It only takes one time
> getting complacent to have a really bad day.
>
> 2) Just because you are current, doesn't mean you are proficient. While I
> had about 10 hours of CJ flying in the last couple of months prior to this,
> I fly a variety of stuff so my habits for the CJ isn't what it used to be
> when I flew them almost exclusively. When things got out of the routine, I
> needed to stop and double check everything.
>
> 3) No matter what, follow the golden rules for pulling through the prop.
> 1) Mags off, 2) throttle idle, and 3) parking brake (in the case of the
> CJ, a velcro strap) in place.
>
> I got lucky. I could have turned into prop-sui. I could have gotten
> someone else hurt. The plane could have been destroyed. Lots of other bad
> things were possible. Honestly, it was my athleticism that saved me...not
> something I'd like to count on again, and something that left guys like
> Pappy a few years ago. ;)- The other thing that saved me was proper
> technique on pulling the prop through. One thing I have in my head is to
> treat that prop like a loaded gun. I see guys that get their body in the
> prop arc when pulling blades through and it makes me cringe. Had I done
> that, I likely would not be writing this.
>
> Things go well for so long we sometimes forget how narrow the line is
> between fun and death in this business. I remember now...and hopefully you
> do to.
>
> Happy Flying!
>
> Barry
>
> --------
> Barry Hancock
> Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
> (909) 606-4444
> www.worldwidewarbirds.com
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=313411#313411_p;
> &n===================
>
>
> *
>
> *
>
>
--
Didier BLOUZARD
didier.blouzard@gmail.com
0624243672
Other Matronics Email List Services
These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.
-- Please support this service by making your Contribution today! --
|