Dummy got his arm in the prop today

[david holmes]

One can always find something to thank God for. It only took 9 stitches.
I pulled UW out of the hangar like I always do to crank it. Untied the rotor and checked it for free movement and turned it loose. walked around UW then started it. It ran for a few seconds and when I advanced the throttle, it choked down. I cranked it again.
By this time because it was facing into a 15- 20 kt wind, the rotor had started turning backwards at a pretty good clip. standing amidship on the starboard side, facing aft ,I reached up and caught the blade to slow it down. Because of it's momentum it tipped me into the prop. Engine stopped. I got 2 slight cuts and 1 not so slight cut on the back of my right arm. Thanking God for a cheap lesson.

Lesson learned: do not untie rotor facing into the more than mild wind.

I'll miss flying today I guess.

[chuter]

Glad you're OK! How many of your 9 lives have you got left? ;)

[KenSandyEggo]

Siiiiiiigh.

[enewbold]

I mean, considering the alternative, I guess you got away pretty with the minimal amount of damage one could expect from a prop strike! I'm so glad you're OK.

I had a similar scary incident about 20 years ago when I hand-craked my Piper Tripacer, and since then I have been VERY careful around moving propellors.

Sorry about not being able to fly...

[Screw]

Screw-In

Glad your OK David.

Your are still comming to SX Days though. A small incident like that isn't gonna "Screw" up your plans right? :D I'll crank your UW and tape your hand to the cyclic. Your throttle arm is uneffected of course.

I'm sure with everyone there, we can help you untrailer your gyro and get you set up. To show our empathy, I'll have Scott set up a Temporary Handicap Parking space just for you. You know, close to the door, runway, and pottie.

I'll bring a first aid kit in case your wounds open up again. Don't worry about infection, there will be plenty of alcohol.

If your unable to fly, of couse you can BS with me and watch Ron fly your gyro. :D

Screw-Out

[david holmes]

This Just proved that Lawyers are NOT the sharpest tack in the box.

Sitting here pondering : In my 6 or so years with Gyros I have ALWAYS reached up to slow the rotor when I'm standing on the ground and it's turning.
In those same years I have also ALWAYS had a rotor brake which I use to stop the blades when I'm sitting in the seat.
It never occurred to me until now that when I'm standing on the ground I can use that same rotor brake to stop the blades --- DUUUMBIE!!!!!!!!

[spaceman spiff]

:eek: Sounds like you are lucky to be here!

heal quick

[dapartlow]

Glad you are OK and thanks for the cheap lesson

[GyroRon]

David, you need to make up some checklists and start using them! Glad your okay, but please don't forget how our friend Chuck Irby was taken from us.... Had he used a checklist I know he would still be here. Hope to see you this weekend at Scotts place and yes, come on down and I will be glad to take your gyro up! :)

[david holmes]

Ron,
checklist here would have done NO good. Do you use one?

[Chuck Roberg]

David, your one of the persons I admire most, for your outlook on life and your enthusiasm for flying.

Double glad your OK.

[david holmes]

All,
Took UW out for 30 minute flight this afternoon just to show it who is in charge.

Added simple 20 cent bungee around mailbox support and around cyclic stick to hold rotor forward and against rotor brake.

If that's a bad idea, somebody tell me. One is surely not going to go anywhere with "control lock" on. I'll never get to the runway and find the rotorblade still tied down, like I have done.

Too soon old, too late smart.

[david holmes]

Chuck,
Ernie calls me an addict!!!! I do feel better because I get my flying fix every day.

I have a 36 year old daughter, mother of 3 in a drug treatment center for 10 weeks now. I hope she's not as addicted as I am.

[StanFoster]

David: Sorry to hear about your incident. Fortunately the injury was much less than it could have been.

Heres to you getting healed up and back in the air. :)

Stan

[GyroRon]

David, I don't use a true written checklist so I can't really say I lead by example. I DO have a mental checklist I use that begins with the preflight and follows through takeoff. Every preflight up to takeoff is the same with me cause I am using that checklist. If I find myself being forgetful in the future you can bet that I will make a written checklist and attach it to my instrument panel to follow.

As for the blades getting spinning and all that... I guess the bungee cord idea should work out okay, obviously your not going to fly without removing it so I see no problem with that. I will say that I normally get my engine started and running and ready to fly before taking off the blade strap and then getting into the gyro. I have a advantage in that I removed the rubber dampener in my gearbox and replaced it with a clutch, so at idle speeds my prop doesn't turn making it less likely to get nipped by the prop and allowing the gyro to sit there running without it trying to roll away from me as I takeoff the strap.

Chuck Irby also had the same clutch in his gearbox but somewhere between his preflight and engine startup his throttle lever got pushed forwards to a high power setting and when he pull started his gyro the engine roared, the gyro surged forward and ran him over killing him in the process. So even though I have the clutch, I treat it like a directly driven prop and ALWAYS check and then double check to make sure the throttle is set at idle before I pull the starter cord.

[Jazzenjohn]

I also put a bungee from the ends of my rudder shaft/axle to my stick. I don't have a rotor brake but I also don't have a prerotator and it helps to keep the rotor from hitting the tail. So far I like it.

[Timchick]

David,
Glad to hear you're OK. Stay alert and stay flying.

[Bob Simmons]

I use a bungy ,too. (Complacency) :eek: . We all got to pay attention. 99% of us admit to this. The rest of us are in denile. Its a hard lesson to learn and thanks for sharing. I need to hear these things to remind me about the little things that can bite you. I am no differant than the next guy. Its this brotherhood of brothers keepers that help save alot of us from the near misses. Thanks again David :)

[barnstorm2]

Glad you are allright!!

Good of you to post this and keep all of us on our toes!

[mceagle]

Our club has a rule, you never, ever handle rotors parallel to the machine. Always wind them up or down across the machine (in front of the mast). It is just as easy to do and you can get used to it very quickly. You can always spot one or two at a fly-inn who have ignored this rule. What I cannot understand is that some continue to ignore the rule even after loosing finger/s.
So too, never start the engine from behind, unless an experienced gyro pilot is at the controls.

Glad that you are OK David and are willing to share this incident with us.

[Jazzenjohn]

<Our club has a rule, you never, ever handle rotors parallel to the machine. Always wind them up or down across the machine (in front of the mast).>
I'm a newby, What do you mean by that?

[KenSandyEggo]

I'm an oldie. What do you mean by that too?

[HOMER]

Dave Glad To See You Survived A Dangerous Encounter. I Fear The Prop More Than I Do Crashing. Been Too Many Deaths, All Of Which Were Preventatable. Hopefully Your Mistake Will Click With Everyone And They Will Learn From Your Mistake.

[PW_Plack]

Homer - What great avatar!

[mceagle]

Always wind them up or down across the machine (in front of the mast). .By that I mean when patting blades up or stopping them, never let your hand move parallel to the keel - at one end of the travel is a spinning prop.
Always stand beside the seat and move your hand across the seat (at right angles to the keel). That way you are never pushing towards or pulling away from a spinning prop. The same when stopping blades.
Of course if you have an electric start and prerotator the above information is irrelevant.

[david holmes]

I was stopping the blades which had gone crazy, backwards, in the wind.

[Bob]

Thanks David For shareing that info ! I have myself came extreamily close to the prop on a few ocasions luckily i didn't get bit ! 9 stitches is a good gash ! you were very lucky it didn't take the arm off ! Its hard to think of the Prop as being a meat clever when the moveing edge is so rounded but it most certainly IS a Meat cleaver We all need to respect it for what it realy is when it comes into contact with soft flesh !
.... and Thank you GyroRon for the tip on checking the throttle.... I havn't been doing that <slap's face> I shall in the future !
McEagle Thank you .... tiz another good tip ! ..though I usually leave my rotor alone once i turn it loose... i do ocasionally touch it from the back ...as that is the only place i can reach it !
But I never run the engine unless I am getting in the machine or have her chained down to something solid ... if I'm out practiceing that Meat cleaver is the first thing I turn off ! I have made it a practice
if I get out of the seat the engine is off ! .... NEVER have the engine running while your away from the craft, even if your warming it up!
its the last thing on and first thing off... or practically ... for safty reasons !
Treat it like it is .... its a Killer ! be afrade of it ! You SHOULD be... and paint the tips of the prop so people can see them !

thats my 2 coppers anyway !
Bob....

[devon532]

Just a thought after reading Ron's post ........ Chuck Irby also had the same clutch in his gearbox but somewhere between his preflight and engine startup his throttle lever got pushed forwards to a high power setting as well as David Holmes' [I]Added simple 20 cent bungee around mailbox support and around cyclic stick to hold rotor forward and against rotor brake. and JazzenJohn's I also put a bungee from the ends of my rudder shaft/axle to my stick. started me thinking:

How about taking a bungee and hooking it around the throttle? Or using something that doesn't stretch to hold it in the closed position. You would slip it off when ready to taxi.

Just a thought.

[stuart]

Somehow I missed this thread till now--thanks for sharing your experience with us David. stuart