Prop Bite!!!!

[gone2fly2]

That's gotta hurt, I can't imagine getting hit with my 3400kv motor and a 4 cell lipo with a 4 inch prop.

[iflyrc1012]

kevin,
your e.s.c. probably has a soft start option, when throttle is applied,no matter how fast you rap it forward, it slowly revs for a split second or two, just long enough for you to yank your digit outta there. this won't help on launching, but in your case it may have helped avoid the most serious damage to your hand.

[Dizzy5]

I got wacked by a prop last summer. I made a big mistake. I had my transmitter on a neck strap and was setting down the plane and bumped the throttle. Luckily barely bumping it. It still gave me a few nasty cuts. That 3 bladed MAS 10x7x3 bit me pretty good. From then on, transmitter on the ground when setting the plane down for me or with the other transmitter the throttle kill switch on. Hope you heal up soon!

[sinker49]

Originally Posted by stuart

interesting glove....,might even help with the throw.

sorry to hear of anyone getting bit by a prop...happens to us all ,and to some they never learn .

my worst time bitten was when a plane flew off the work table into my lap,i caught it with my hands and received 6 stitches.

i will never ,ever stand or sit with the plane facing me wether at the field or in the workshop and power up the throttle,i'v learned my lesson.

the worst i heard of at my clubs field was an old timer reaching through his glow prop to adjust the carb,serious injury!

22 stitches caused when my Geier E started unexpectedly when I picked it up one cold winters day in Lansing Illinois.Scared me so bad I actually pulled the prop right into my own face in some kind of a reflex action.The Fresh snow on the field looked like a battle had been fought on it and I was alone and had to drive to the Emergency room 10 miles away holding the lower part of my face together.Those Nylon Pusher Props can be sharp.I had bumped the throttle and my hand slipped or fumbled on the side of the fuselage and i hit the motor arming switch when I picked it up from behind and it being a pusher prop meant the prop was less than afoot from my face and the snow made it slippery. mistake #1 I was flying alone.2 Trying to pick up a plane one handed with gloves on. 3 Not using a neck strap on the Radio Tx. 4 Poor safety switch or arming switch location.I could not see the actual switch so although I had turned it off I didn't know how close to my hand it was when my hand slipped.5 poor choice of a toggle switch for an arming switch.Too easy to bump -on, as I found out .On the up side ,The scar is barely noticeable

[dahawk]

Ouch ! I saw one our clubs best pilots get his arm chewed up pretty good from his Scal 3D Hobby Shop Ultra with a large electric motor. Ran right up his forearm. But he's okay More or less a permanent tattoo. Glad you're okay.

One thing I learned when getting into flying f-22 pusher props is the sideways throw. Take a look at the vid and see if this makes sense. It works for me but was awkward at first.

Hawk

[xmech2k]

Well, we had a club member do something that people should be aware of. He finished flying one plane and set it on a table. He forgot to unplug its battery, and turned off the transmitter. Later, he went to fly another plane. He powered on the xmttr to change planes in the radio, and the plane on the table throttled up, went at his face but he blocked it with his hand which I guess took 12 stitches.

Well I guess bottom line is, he accidentally bypassed the safety in the ESC, as it remained armed from the previous flight, so when the xmttr was turned on with the throttle up, it followed commands!

I almost didn't post this for his own privacy, but I like to one-up Confuscious. Confuscius say "A wise man learns from his mistakes". I say "Better to learn from other peoples mistakes!"

This was a scenario I never thought of and will try to be more aware of in the future. I have seen a guy's VERY nice expensive and rather powerful plane sitting in the pits with the servos twitching while he's out flying another plane...

[jetmech2002]

I often wondered how you guys were doing this without getting bit.

[iflyrc1012]

shop safety, such as removing the prop before working on any plane is easier to maintain, partly due to the fact that we follow a routine in our own shop, alone and undisturbed by outside distractions, it's easier to focus on the task at hand there.
At the field, the situation is fluid, changing every second, and we are also at the mercy of someone else getting distracted, or their unsafe behavior becoming our problem. mostly everyone maintains a safety first attitude, but it only takes 1 second to change your whole life.. be careful......

[Dragonflyer]

Difference between Gas and electric.
When the gas engine can bite you it is making allot of noise. And you are aware of it.
An electric can be setting dead silent and in 1 second can wreak havoc.
When dealing with these types of electrics, actually anything with a prop, stay focused on what you are doing, and how you are doing it. What can happen, can happen, lets leave out the will happen.
I have a 6ft Horten style wing with a 8" pusher. I launch it wing level or slightly nose down, power off. As soon as it is gone and all important body parts are clear I hit the throttle. It is a big wing and glides pretty good so launches go pretty well.

Bill

[iflyrc1012]

hand launches for me are Always from the wingtip, thrown shoulder level with the power on, but my hand is never anywhere near the danger zone....this works no matter how large or powerful the plane is... i have launched 100+mph Strykers this way with very few lawndarts.... see this video. the little kick step is optional, it looks quite silly when done correctly, and almost always gets a laugh from the manly men in the pits.....

http://youtu.be/UJJe7QLT0vE

[dahawk]

We have a group that flys Combat with F-22 pusher foamies on Sunday afternoons. Many times there's six or seven launching at the same time. Everyone has their own particular style but I personally like the slight backhand frisbee toss. Some guys just gently release in a forward horseshoe throwing technique. The mid fuse pushers a little less prone to injury IMHO I have yet see one of our club members nicked with a pusher prop jet



-Hawk

[pistnbroke]

It Makes me cringe whenever I see or read about fingers getting caught up in props.
I suffered the same fate as others and required surgery to attach the pads of three fingers a year ago.

Needless to say, I am extremely cautious when hand launching any aircraft. I have a pusher that I have not flown yet (I think they are the most dangerous of all) with the thought of sliced fingers firmly on my mind, I think I will go down the path of making a launcher to eleiminate the risk.

Regards
Ian

[Murman]

I launch all of my mid motor and pushers by a wingtip with a side-arm toss. Absolutely no chance of injury with this method. Learn it, live it. 'Nuff said.

[dahawk]

+1 on Murman's advice. I have alot of "prop in the slot" pusher park jets . Usually underhand toss them from the fuse profile. Never had a problem. The plane I have that pushes from the aft is my Radjet and I backhand that one by holding onto the wing. Of course, the edf's are never a problem. I've witnessed several prop strike incidents with guys starting nitro/ gassers with conventional tractor prop set ups. Not a pretty sight.

[Yakfishingfool]

Did you go the ER? Lacerations like that can easily cut tendons and make for future operations if not discovered and re-connected. Fingers have to be checked, with that cut, to see if they can extend against resistance to their full extension. Good luck! Scott

[solentlife]

Pal of mine wanted me to maiden his Wot4 in UK many years ago ... It had an OS40 2st in it ....(conventional tractor prop sport plane)

He started it up ... tuned it ... all nice. I had the Tx and he had the model in his hands ready for the launch.

He lifted the model .... told me he was ready ... I started to open the throttle ... next I know model is on the ground, he's with dead shocked look on his face ... everyones grabbing hold of him ... I shut of everything .. grabbed rags from the pit-box ...

What happened ? To this day both of us are not sure of why - but he lifted his 'spare' hand up and into the spinning prop ... a 9x6 GFN Master prop .... which made a mess of his first 3 fingers.

We rushed him to hospital with the rags clenched round the fingers staunching the blood flow ...

For weeks after he couldn't move the index finger ... it was locked in a slight bend. He had repeated visits to Hospital and they couldn't figure out why his finger didn't work.
Later a 1/4" piece of GFN prop exited the finger by itself ... undetected by Xray etc. His finger returned to normal use.

Luckily his fingers were saved and today he has full use still. What was the surprise was the lack of detection of the piece in his finger ...

Nigel

@ tarheal63 i wouldnt hand launch anything with a rear mounted engine that has an apc propeller due to they are very much a finger bite/hospital visit waiting to happen i love the style of there props but i have been injured 3 times by them little razor tipped props this month and had to have stitches each time so i would suggest landing gear and runway lauch of your rear engine mounted planes even as much fun as it is to launch them buy hand i personaly wouldnt risk injuring my fingers with apc style props of any size after being bitten by them had 2 differant 16 inch props that sadly got dammaged due to finger bite and pavement in my use of these props so i will be putting normally closed kill switches that have to be pressed at all times indicating my hands are in a safe distance from the props arc while the engine is running due to husqvarna 326ls trimmer/brushcutter and stihl fs83 trimmer/brushcutter convesions are no joke actually anything with apc prop should be highly respected in every way due to there razor sharp tip design will slice to the bone nearly 100% of the time anyone lucky enough not to need stitches after prop bite from apc props is very very lucky