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Author Topic: 5-cyl Radial  (Read 470 times)

Adirondack Jack

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Re: 5-cyl Radial
« on: November 26, 2020, 05:57:11 pm »
Oddly enough, the big RC airplane props aren’t usually a problem.  It’s the little nylon ones that can cut the hell out of you.
For. The big ones, up to and including four to six horse engines, most guys just wear a work glove in case the prop comes around and smacks the back of their hands. But physics and geometry being rather inflexible, it takes a moment for the bigger, heavier props with a larger swept area to come around that first time.  You learn to do just as the fliers up to and including piper Cubs did.  You flip the prop while standing back away from it just a tad, so as you follow through with your arm swing, your hand naturally arcs out of the plane of prop rotation. 
All that said, flipping a 24 inch prop on a six horse motor with a hot battery ignition and timing fully retarded is no time to be napping.  They come alive almost invariably on the first flip, and are fully capable of breaking metacarpals.  I’ve been bit on a gloved hand, but never seriously injured.

Just make sure the engine is firmly secured so it can’t move, and flip the prop like you mean it, follow through so your hand approaches your leg after it leaves the prop, and don’t get stupid and reach through a running prop.