Let me preface this first that nobody should hand prop without proper instruction.

I haven't hand propped an airplane yet nor have I had instruction on how but wondering on the safest technique. Of the two or three times I've watched someone hand prop an airplane, they've all done it standing in front of the prop.

I know I either read something or saw a short vid of someone hand propping from behind and recommending that as the safest way to do it. Now that makes sense to me, 1. No chance the prop will run into you if the brakes/chocks fail. 2. According to a recent thread, props can create quite a suction when standing in front of them.

So... what's safer, in front or from behind?

I try standing behind the prop always. But sometimes, depending on how stubborn the engine is, how a prop may be indexed, or whatever the reason, I may have to switch over to the front of the airplane.

Gump

Timely... I handpropped a plane solo for the first time yesterday. For tandem aircraft like Cubs and the like, I find that standing over the right main and grabbing a big handful with my right arm works best. I'm tall though, it's easy to get a good swing from that position, and easy to jump back into the cockpit to jockey the throttle. That's how I watched Patrol Guy do it in his J3, and it seems to work well.

For a Cessna, or something with forward hinging doors and a little more compression, standing in front might work better.

Good topic!
No experience here, I've hand propped 4 times all from the front.
Twice with my O470, I'm not sure I could do it from behind....but I didn't try.
From the front a taildragger seems like it wants to push you away from the prop as you pull it through instead of pull you into it?

In my C180's I had the assist handle on the cowling. It was perfect for hanging on to the prop from the rear.

Gump

GumpAir wrote:In my C180's I had the assist handle on the cowling. It was perfect for hanging on to the prop from the rear.

Gump

Yeah, I was thinking something to hang onto would be handy.

This was discussed a couple of years (or so) ago....
Can one of our 'search wizards' come up with it?

lc

Can you hand prop these new ignitions or do you need one side to be an impulse magneto?

My PA-11 with a C-90, I ALWAYS prop from behind. I like to have access to the throttle from this position and it allows me to hold on to the tubing inside the cabin.

Ha, found this in an old thread. I'd stick with behind:-)

I hand prop the 7AC as it is the only way to start it. I do it from the front. I have seen tall guys hand prop from the back, but when I did it, it felt like I was reaching. I am 5' 7". I do it the way I was taught, buy an old very experienced guy who still had his hands. I do it exactly the same way every time and I don't ever loose respect for it. I believe the minute you get comfortable with it is the minute it might go wrong. I've hand propped engines up to 180 hp, but I think that would be the limit for me. I wouldn't do a three bladed prop either, though I've seen it done.

I make sure the prop is in the exact position I want to swing it from...no moving it backwards as a wind up. The Prop never moves at all with the mags hot, unless I am swinging it to start it. I take the prop with two hands and as I throw it, I take a step to the left and back from the plane at about a 30 degree angle away from the plane of the prop disc. This way no matter what happens I am taking myself out of the arc of the prop. Once the movement becomes second nature it is also quite powerful and controlled. Always make sure of your footing, too.

This is how I teach students to do it and I am a big Fascist about doing it right. Always to the checks before each throw. Mags, brakes, stick, throttle, clear. For guys who are inexperienced I make them do several cold throws before we go hot. If anybody is interested I'll make a video as soon as the weather clears here. Looks like the worst drought of the last 50 years is ending here in central TX.

Sometimes you have no options. (J-3 on floats.) Propping from behind is easy and safe for the previously mentioned reasons. The most important thing is to get properly trained by someone who knows how to do it correctly. I learned on a 985 and I think the larger ones are easier. The Kinner I have now doesn't have a starter. Don't want one either. However you do it ALWAYS treat it like the mags are hot.

I would venture to say that if you search out someone familiar... to teach you, they will do it from the front. All the cautions you have read here, about mags and so forth are excellent advice.
The first airplane I owned had no starter so it was routine. Always from the front. No mishaps in hundreds of starts. The exception was the Beaver on straight floats. Kind of hard to walk on water at least for me.
That one was done from the rear, on the right float. Low compression on the radial, so it was no big deal if you had a dead battery.
Some of those who have responded here obviously have perverted sex lives. Doing it from the rear just isn't in the handbook !

The following link is to my friend Brian Lansburgh's website and video he did a while back about hand propping... It is quite informative and talks about the benefits and drawbacks about both methods....

http://www.tailwheelersjournal.com/handprop.html

Once you are done with that video, check out some of his others..... Good way to wast most of the evening....

Brian.

littlewheelinback wrote:I hand prop the 7AC as it is the only way to start it. I do it from the front. I have seen tall guys hand prop from the back, but when I did it, it felt like I was reaching. I am 5' 7". I do it the way I was taught, buy an old very experienced guy who still had his hands. I do it exactly the same way every time and I don't ever loose respect for it. I believe the minute you get comfortable with it is the minute it might go wrong. I've hand propped engines up to 180 hp, but I think that would be the limit for me. I wouldn't do a three bladed prop either, though I've seen it done.

I make sure the prop is in the exact position I want to swing it from...no moving it backwards as a wind up. The Prop never moves at all with the mags hot, unless I am swinging it to start it. I take the prop with two hands and as I throw it, I take a step to the left and back from the plane at about a 30 degree angle away from the plane of the prop disc. This way no matter what happens I am taking myself out of the arc of the prop. Once the movement becomes second nature it is also quite powerful and controlled. Always make sure of your footing, too.

This is how I teach students to do it and I am a big Fascist about doing it right. Always to the checks before each throw. Mags, brakes, stick, throttle, clear. For guys who are inexperienced I make them do several cold throws before we go hot. If anybody is interested I'll make a video as soon as the weather clears here. Looks like the worst drought of the last 50 years is ending here in central TX.

All I can say is ditto. Maybe it's a Champ thing. I was taught the same way and did it the same way each time. 800 starts and 10 fingers.

Brian - Steve's Aircraft wrote:The following link is to my friend Brian Lansburgh's website and video he did a while back about hand propping... It is quite informative and talks about the benefits and drawbacks about both methods....

http://www.tailwheelersjournal.com/handprop.html

Once you are done with that video, check out some of his others..... Good way to wast most of the evening....

Brian.

This video is funny and I am sure the technique will work. I have two criticisms. One is that on almost every start they back the prop in a sort of "wind up" motion before throwing it. If you get a spark during that backwards motion the engine could fire up or kick back while you are holding the prop. Not good. The only motion of the prop while the mags are hot should be the forward throw with follow through. Two is that they always step backwards when they throw the prop. This could cause two problems in that it is 1) much easier to stumble when stepping back wards and 2) if you do fall and the plane does move you will be right in the way. As I make the throw I am stepping to the side, I can see where I am stepping for more sure footedness and if I do stumble or fall, I will fall away from the prop and away from the direction of travel of the aircraft if it moves. The step is part of the throw and feels pretty natural after only a little practice.

My two cents.

Propping from the back means that in an emergency situation you have a wing leading edge, a strut, and a tire all trying to knock you forward... off balance and toward the prop. As you swing the prop blade downward from the rear, your head is moving forward into the prop disc, and you cannot move your body away from it because the airplane is blocking you.

Propping from the front, you can create a large amount of body inertia and movement away from the propeller as you swing your right leg rearward, beginning two big steps back and sideways... you can be well out of harm's way by the time the engine starts.

Propping from the rear, you have to curl your fingers around the trailing edge of the blade, so in a backfire or rich mixture kickback you will have four of your fingers injured or removed.

Propping from the front allows you to "palm" the blade without your fingers wrapped around the trailing edge.

Propping from the front allows you to be closest to the propeller when it is least dangerous, moving away from it with inertia and resolve as it is starting to become dangerous, and five feet away from it when it becomes deadly.

My first "armstrong starter" equipped airplane was a 90 hp J-3 that lived on floats much of the year. No other choice than propping from behind, and it always worked just fine, assuming a couple of things:

1) You have to learn how to start the engine (and judging from most folks WITH starters I see start their engines, this is not a common learning point.

2) The timing has to be set right, and you NEED an impulse coupling.

3) The engine MUST be started ONLY on the magneto with the impulse coupling. Using both mags to start may cause a kickback due to the difference in timing of the two mags (because of the impulse).

4) The propeller MUST be indexed properly. Trying to hand prop a propeller that's indexed to 12/6 is dangerous, whether done from in front or back. Prop needs to be at 10/4 o'clock as viewed from the front.

I have to laugh when folks suggest that propping from behind is unsafe. All the reasons listed above are easily dealt with.

Propping from behind, you always have something to grab to balance yourself. In front, you're on your own two pins.....stumble and you're well within the arc that the plane COULD take if it starts moving. From behind, you will not be "thrown forward" by the prop, and unless your right arm is 10 inches long, your head is going to be well clear of the propeller arc. As I pull the prop through, I'm moving rearward, toward a wing or strut, and with a hand on the cowling or door, etc, I have a VERY stable platform to work from.

Note that not everyone props airplanes on pavement. Oftentimes, you're doing so in places with really crappy footing....like three feet of snow. Try propping from in front in deep snow on straight skis sometime........when your feet are encased in cement-like snow, and you're knee deep.

Lots of good reasons to prop from behind.

That said, NEITHER approach need be dangerous, as long as basic precautions are taken:

1) Ideally, a QUALIFIED pilot on the controls while you prop.

2) If not, airplane tied down or otherwise secured

3) If not secured, be prepared

4) And, as noted earlier, LEARN to start that engine RIGHT, and understand that warm starts are going to require a VERY different technique than do cold starts. Cold starts are easy. Warm starts can be an aerobics session.

Most of all, keep your head out of your ass, as well as out of the prop arc.

It's been done for over a century now....

MTV

I once tried to hand start my T-210 and after a feeble pull or two I decided to obtain a couple of batteries and jump start it. Had to fly from southern Baja to the US with 2 batteries in the back and modified jumper cables running thru the firewall so that I could get the gear up and down. A very scary prospect for me and one I take great care not to repeat.

MTV
How can you tell which Mag. the impulse coupler is tied to?
Does the timing need to be retarded or advanced?
Tks. John