Yelling "....clear prop...."

[Spin]

Just thinking...the push button idea for the beeper is no good. It means you need two hands to start the engine. OK when you're on the ground....not much good when you're in the air trying to restart a failed engine while flying the plane.

Ah, you got there before me. I was reading through the thread, carrying an image of a pilot swearing and frantically trying to summon up sufficient hands to restart the engine. I see even the RV12 has a feature allowing you to disarm the starter cutout for the pins securing the wings. Could be the start of a really bad day!

 

Back to the main topic however, when I originally learnt to fly it was considered a bit silly to yell out "clear prop" on our old C150's (1 ancient radio, no transponder and no headsets!), however when an airline captain friend later did his conversion to a trike, it was rigidly enforced at the school he went to and I have gradually come around to seeing it as a good idea - certainly no substitute for a good lookout and general awareness though.

 

 

[Guest rocketdriver]

Speaking for myself, I always yell “CLEAR PROP” with a pause before cranking the engine .....

 

As to being heard, as others have said, you can always yell through a clear view window, if fitted, or leave the cockpit door cracked open ‘till after engine start, (but if you do this, you want to be careful that a tail wind or a thermal doesn’t snatch the door off its hinges, and you want to be sure that shutting the door is a strong part of your pre takeoff checks:exclamation: ).

 

The reason I think this is important, is that there are plenty of aircraft where you just can’t see if someone is close to the prop, especially in one of the larger tail wheelers and/or if the person is on the right hand side of the aeroplane.

 

I also find that calling it out is a great cue to look around outside at the same time, rather than to be scrambling around the cockpit looking for a buzzer button in a cockpit that might not be familiar to you :confused:. Aerodromes can be noisy, and someone else’s engine noise might drown your “Clear Prop” no matter how loud you shout. If you look around at the same time as calling out, you might see the person who is about to step into your prop in time to avoid a coronial inquest!

 

Lastly, I feel that, if it is a habit and you call out and CHECK every time you start an engine, you are less likely to forget to do it on that one occasion when someone is there. ...:big_grin:

 

Just my thoughts on the subject, FWIW .....

 

 

[dazza 38]

When at Boonah, i check around the aircraft, like we all do, before starting, i always leave the door open, and Yell, REALY LOUD," CLEAR PROP" pilots diccount shop LOL, lately "STAND CLEAR STARTING", i know it is serious, but i do get some looks, because of how LOUD i say it.Anyway people get the message.ps- I always start the engine and have it running before putting on my head set, or the passengers.CHEERS