[hifly2104]

I am sure most of us are very safety concious especially when flying or in the pits. Somewhere along the line you will let your guard down or do or not do what you know you should.This is not a message to get sympathy from my peers but as a warning .Please don't let it happen to you. What started as a reasonable flying time to day ended in a very bad situation and could have even caused death. Mine.I was flying alone not the best of ideas but in a small club usually the norm. I had changed some linkages on my yellow funtana and after fueling up did a radio check on surface control. Both ailerons needed adjusting,removed all fuel from plane adjusted surfaces manually and returned plane to right side up and refueled. Now this plane has a 125 Saito in it that starts so easily,except for today.After checking glow reading on my control panel and adjusting it to be a little hotter it still wouldn't start. I now decided it was flooded and advanced the throttle a little still no start so advanced it a little more.At no time thinking of any danger. WRONG.PLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TETHERED anchored or whatever to keep me safe. I have other planes I wouldn't even consider starting with out tethering them. This will be my new flight policy to tether all planes or have a safety man holding plane firmly
Engine burst to life and before I could shut the throttle down I had been hit atleast twice. Total of 67 stitches the one on my arm so close to an artery the doctor said could have been really bad. The ones to my leg look like bear claw marks (not sure how that happened) close to damaging the tendons.
I survived and will fly again,if nothing else let me be a bad example as what not to do a warning to others that this could happen any time to anyone.

I would like to thank the volunteer rescue squad From Floredale Ontario for their speedy response Also the police officer from Waterloo Regional Police force that went out of his way to secure my planes etc until we could return to collect them (He had to walk through or along side a corn field for about 1/2 Km and climb a fence to get to our pit area as I had locked the gate on my way out

[cassat]

Yep,

Sorry to hear it happened to you. Nevertheless, it will never happen to you again.
Unfortunately for newbies, the saying " it will never happen to me" will always be there.
Very interesting that it was only a 125 engine. However, mine was only a .40 and the prop went straight thru my arm . 5 inches of it !!

[jpmodels]

Sorry for your injury. Thanks for your sense to post it as a reminder.

[WillyT]

Having had worked in heavy industry and being a highschool shop teacher I have observed that accidents occur usually, when someone doing something they know is wrong. I have seen people trying to drill a piece of metal held between the fingers, props being spun with bare fingers, engines started within inches of the crotch without the use of tie downs on the tail of the plane. The question is not what you are going to do to prevent incident re-occuring to you, it's, what are you going to do to prevent your friends and fellow flyers from hurting themselves? Maybe walk over and hold that tail or make sure that plane is tied down. We fly together, we workout aircraft problems together, why not be safe together?

[williame3590]

Originally Posted by WillyT

Having had worked in heavy industry and being a highschool shop teacher I have observed that accidents occur usually, when someone doing something they know is wrong. I have seen people trying to drill a piece of metal held between the fingers, props being spun with bare fingers, engines started within inches of the crotch without the use of tie downs on the tail of the plane. The question is not what you are going to do to prevent incident re-occuring to you, it's, what are you going to do to prevent your friends and fellow flyers from hurting themselves? Maybe walk over and hold that tail or make sure that plane is tied down. We fly together, we workout aircraft problems together, why not be safe together?

Could not have been said better

[Gary Maker]

I am very sorry to hear of your accident. As you have said, as painful as it is, it could have been much worse!!

Its really too bad that it takes such a serious occurance to show people the true dangers of such habbits as flying alone! The occasional friendly reminder brings such responses as: "Most of the time I can only get out to fly in off hours when nobody else is there." OR: " We have a small club and often no one else shows up." I've even heard "I perfer to fly alone!" Had you indeed cut an artery, you wouldn't have been here to tell us your experience!

As for the use of tie downs and safety devices to hold your plane, they too are not fool proof! I personally was using such a devise while starting my G26 gasser. The plane unnoticeably inched back while flipping the prop and when the engine finally started, it lunged forward the 6" of slack with the 16" APC prop catching my left wrist and necessatating having approx 20 stitches to close the wound. ALWAYS have someone help you hold the plane. (Which, by the way, is impossible if you're flying alone!)

And a previous poster is absolutely correct. I have too often heard someone after a careless accident say: "Geez, I don't know what I was thinking, I know better than that!" Yep, the ole, it won't happen to me, attitude!

Its amazing how ones life can change in an instant of time! One second of inattention can take weeks of pain to heal. It certainly is a life altering experience to say the least!

Well, my friend, I am happy that you are here to tell the tale and I do wish you a speedy recovery. And regards to all the individuals that came to your aid when you needed them. There are a lot of good people in the world, thank goodness.

Flying alone is not the problem. Not taking ALL safety precautions is. I fly in a club that at present has about 4 active members and if I needed someone there to fly I would never fly. I WILL NOT allow someone else to hold my plane when I start it. Been there, done that and never again. I will however ALWAYS have my plane tethered when I start it. I trust a mechanical device much more than one with a "wandering brain".

My tether device is a ground stake designed and constructed to fetch up a 70 lb. Pit Bull at full tilt.

[Randy Brown]

People slow down instead of being in so much in a hurry there wouldnt be so many trips to the Hospital

Glad i wasnt there.. see way to many accidents

And i rather have a friend i trust then any mechanical advice hold my airplane.. but then. i dont start airplanes with a throttle crank up like so many people for somereason love to do..just a matter of time chop chop chop

[Sparhawk]

A tether is always a good idea, and yes, if a slack rope is allowed to creep in, in can still bite you, but will prevent real damage as an unchecked plane would.

Some clubs have a "no fly alone" policy, and I fully endorse it. It is like swimming or diving, you just don't do it because accidents do happen and your chances of survival drop like a rock when you are alone. Besides, I get no enjoyment going to a field and flying alone. I find it incredibly boring when I can't sit and shoot the breeze with someone. Yes, I get flights in, but I hate catching myself talking to myself......

Don, you will have to come out to ASRCM and join us some day. It's a hop skip and jump from HRCC if you come up through the Hardwoodlands.

Dan

[Gary Maker]

Don, don't get me wrong. I still use a safety hook, post, tether line etc whatever the proper term is for such devices...but I still ask someone to hold my plane for me, which most club members are happy to do, and likewise.

Also, I don't mean to be contradictory and you can use all the excuses you want, but in my opinion, I still say that it is never a good idea to fly alone- ever!! Had the person, who is the topic of this thread, cut an artery, as he says he was very close to doing, he probably wouldn't have still been with us today as no one was there to give him immediately help.

I know, many feel:....IT'S MY LIFE and MY choice...right? But it's pretty darn selfish for anyone to think that they are the only one who will face the consequence for making a poor decision. They can be very devistating, not to just the victom, but to his club, his friends and the family who is left behind to deal with matters....alone!

Safety first, & always! Think safe, fly safe, be safe & have fun!