Ground Accidents.

[cobra]

Not only bad airmanship...

Starting of engines

(2) Where the pilot of an aeroplane is the only competent person present
and it has been necessary for chocks to be used, he or she shall ensure that the
controls of the aeroplane are left unattended for as short a time as possible when
removing the chocks.

The rules/laws of aviation are written in blood! This is one of these rules.

Regards,
Arnulf

Hi Arnulf, this is true, unfortunately in the case of no (2) "for as short a time as possible" - the problem is leaving the pax unattended for that short period of time depending were the controls are.

It is also true that a pax need to get a thorough briefing before strapped in and starting the engine.

[Tracer]

This is really scary stuff.

I have been thinking of fitting a electric starter to my 503 Windlass (like the VliegVark thread), but this convinced me to stop thinking about it and do it. Makes it so much safer.

[3wheels]

Really sad about the accident at Microland and again, best wishes and a speedy recovery to Andre.

They say in life, it sometimes takes an accident to wake one up.

I am guilty of doing what most of us have been talking about . "those cold winter mornings.....starting up the trike and finishing the coffee etc..." before climbing in and rolling
This incident just shows the reality of what dangers there are, sad that it takes a tragedy to open up ones eyes. I have sadly learnt from this mishap and hope that many others have realised the dangers as well.

[Dre'man55]

Did that trike have dual controls. i.e. a throttle that a pax could accidentally push?

[cjkrit]

Can't remember that I have seen a microlight with some sort of protection shield to enclose the prop. Is it totally impractical to invent or develop such a thing? Look at the metal enclosure of the prop on my Buckeye DM [ photo attached]

Christo-se-vlerk2.jpg (92.86 KiB) Viewed 1184 times

[cobra]

Can't remember that I have seen a microlight with some sort of protection shield to enclose the prop. ...

Protecting the "birds"

[Tjoek]

You will never see me outside a trike with the engine running. Why? Because I learned the hard way!

10 years ago (also at Microland), one Saturday morning my wife and I just started to taxi for a flight to Harties when I decided to close my hanger in case we get back late. I parked, hopped out wile the engine was idling with her still in the back seat, and turned my back to the plane. She shouted when the plane started to accelerate down a slight decent to an open hanger. I turned around and tried to get in front of the plane to stop it, but slipped on the wet grass and fell in a manner that the prop (6-blade ivo) nipped me on the head. The plane stopped against a hanger. 30 minutes later I had 36 stitches on the head. Very lucky indeed.

[Morph]

This would solve half the problem. The other half of having a pax unwittingly being taken into the sky is too horrific to comprehend.