[Leadfoot]

Now this one was not by my doing, I was minding my own business, merely helping out.....

Last summer, a "friend" asked for some help running up his F-15 ducted fan so he could get the engine tuned and checked out prior to taking it to the field. We rolled the plane out onto his drive, got all the starting equipment ready, threw on some ear protection and fired the OS 91 up. After a couple of tries, we got the engine running consistently and proceeded with setting up the low and high end. It's important to note at this point that we had the engine hatch open, to allow access to the needle valves and such.

My job was basically just to hold the plane in place as we ran the engine up. So I'm holding onto the back of the plane, with my head somewhat down and facing the back, when suddenly I feel something hit my head!! Funny thing is, my first thought is that someone watching us has thrown a "rock" and hit me!! But soon I realize it had to have been something else, and my head is bleeding pretty good. Meanwhile, the engine has stopped and my "friend" is looking at me, wondering why I've got my hand on the side of my head; after all the plane had just kicked a bunch of dust into his face.

Turns out that a screw had come loose and been sucked into the fan, breaking one of the blades which is what hit me!! Thank goodness it didn't hit either of us in the face!! Moral of the story: use locktite on EVERY SINGLE bolt and screw in a ducted fan!!!!!!!

[Concordefan]

Originally Posted by Leadfoot

Now this one was not by my doing, I was minding my own business, merely helping out.....

Last summer, a "friend" asked for some help running up his F-15 ducted fan so he could get the engine tuned and checked out prior to taking it to the field. We rolled the plane out onto his drive, got all the starting equipment ready, threw on some ear protection and fired the OS 91 up. After a couple of tries, we got the engine running consistently and proceeded with setting up the low and high end. It's important to note at this point that we had the engine hatch open, to allow access to the needle valves and such.

My job was basically just to hold the plane in place as we ran the engine up. So I'm holding onto the back of the plane, with my head somewhat down and facing the back, when suddenly I feel something hit my head!! Funny thing is, my first thought is that someone watching us has thrown a "rock" and hit me!! But soon I realize it had to have been something else, and my head is bleeding pretty good. Meanwhile, the engine has stopped and my "friend" is looking at me, wondering why I've got my hand on the side of my head; after all the plane had just kicked a bunch of dust into his face.

Turns out that a screw had come loose and been sucked into the fan, breaking one of the blades which is what hit me!! Thank goodness it didn't hit either of us in the face!! Moral of the story: use locktite on EVERY SINGLE bolt and screw in a ducted fan!!!!!!!

Steve you are lucky man, thank god it was DF impeller piece that came off and not a real turbine blade piece!.....we all had few very close calls in this hobby.

[ronm]

Originally Posted by Concordefan

Steve you are lucky man, thank god it was DF piece that came off and not a real turbine blade piece!.....we all had few very close calls in this hobby.

Lucky you turned away and weren't watching it...it very easily could have been your eye!!!

[Leadfoot]

Originally Posted by ronm

Lucky you turned away and weren't watching it...it very easily could have been your eye!!!

...those were my exact thoughts after I realized what had happened!! John and I were both lucky that it didn't end up worse. Besides, it hit me in the one place where it couldn't possibly do any more damage!! :P

[ronm]

Originally Posted by Leadfoot

...those were my exact thoughts after I realized what had happened!! John and I were both lucky that it didn't end up worse. Besides, it hit me in the one place where it couldn't possibly do any more damage!! :P

Too bad it made all your hair fall out!!! :P

[Leadfoot]

That was my reaction when I looked in the mirror and saw what it had done to my beautiful head of hair!!!!!

Of course it had to happen on a day when I hadn't shaved it. Which brought up another interesting point for me about a day later... how am I going to shave my head (I use a disposable razor) with a nice big gouge out of it?????

[ronm]

I hear they have "Nair" for men now!

[chuck_zc]

Steve, do we visit the same barber? I could have sworn that was my head I was looking at

[Leadfoot]

I think that it's a pretty popular barber, as I see more and more people looking like that these days!!!

He's been getting my money for a good 10 years now......