Clear Prop! - Anyone ever have a response?

eman1200 said:
Any time I hear FORE I instinctively cover up the jewels. Also, someone in my 4-some got hit in the nose with an errant tee shot, it messed him up pretty good. Square in the nose, think he had to get surgery.
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yup....I too go for my skin when I hear that. :confused:
 
Yep. I was watching a Douglas AD Skyraider pilot about to start his engine, shout clear prop and a totally obvlivious spectator walked right up and in the prop arc unaware it was about to start. Fortunately, some yelled STOP and the pilot didn't throw the switch. That big ole prop would hurt even if moving relatively slowly in starting.
 
I am still baffled at how many people yell "clear" as they turn over the engine. And seeing the responses here, I am not alone.

So yes, I yell "clear prop" (to be clear on what to clear) and while I listen for responses, I also look over both my shoulders to check that I am not about to blast some poor soul who appeared behind me since I climbed into the airplane (contrary to popular belief, I am not as much of an azzhat as I might seem).
That's what the SOP is for afterall. Not many really understand. Glad the majority here knows what it's all about.

I had to look up the engine shut-down marshaling signal because I have never seen it used in person and was second-guessing myself on the throat-slitting motion. Yup, still the same. KILL means KILL. :)
 
arkvet said:
Typically yell "clear" but often don't at my sleepy home drone when I'm the only one around and just pulled the plane from the hangar.

FORE while playing golf has always seemed so stupid. You take people in the line of fire that have a decent shot at looking the other way and cause them to instinctively look up and towards where the ball is coming from... with zero chance in hell of seeing it prior to impact. I get the courtesy aspect but in all honesty it doesn't help.
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I worked with a guy and that is exactly what happened. He looked up just in time to catch an errant tee shot under the left eye, just a touch below the peak of the cheek bone. It split him open good. I have never seen a shiner like he had. He left the course in an ambulance. No permanent eye damage, lukily.
 
Somebody yells fore while I’m on the course, I duck and turn away from the sound. Only an idiot would look for the effing ball coming toward them. Sort of like the clown who sticks a screwdriver in a socket to see if it’s hot.

Cheers
 
I did a "cringe prop" once - we had the crew entrance door on our C-130E "strapped" shut (don't ask), and were doing an engines running quick drop-off of a part (at Langley, I think); I went out the ramp-and-door, and two civilians were already at the crew entrance door, expecting me there; one of them saw me, nodded, and turned to walk back - through the turning number 2 prop! I threw up my hands in the international "No! Don't!" signal, but he just hesitated, confused, but looked to be continuing his move toward me; I spun around and hunkered, to avoid the shower of blood, bone, and brains, and that clued him in. Trick of lighting, I guess, and him not used to being around props much. . .

There used to be a sign in a hangar at Norton AFB - "If you never walk through a prop arc, you'll never be hit by a prop" - if I recall we had a couple T-29s there, but everything else was jet (C-141As, Sabreliners, etc.)
 
I Used to fly with a guy that called the PT6 "self clearing" because the prop would gently nudge you out of the way before it got spinning fast enough to hurt you. :)
 
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Good question @Ryanb

I generally only yell clear if I've seen someone within 100 yards of the plane. I also don't dilly dally once inside, I'm usually started up pretty quickly.

I also have a painfully bright LED beacon which should clue people in as well.
 
So should a mechanic yell “clear prop” when doing a compression test?

Just a rhetorical question for those who seem to like them. I don’t really need to know.
 
I did see a one-eyed airport dog years ago in SD, he had taken a prop to the other eye. It was likely painful at the time.

I think it’s more for awareness, the ‘prop’ call, reminds one to be aware of what’s going on around.
 
I couldn’t stop if I wanted to: my wife thinks it’s hilarious. If we’re the only ones on the ramp and I go to start without yelling ‘clear’ she’ll call me out on it.
 
Many years ago I was standing in the engine nacelle of a 767 parked on the ramp at PHL. I grabbed the turbine and gave it a good spin. Seconds later the loadmaster came running out from behind the wing. He thought the engine was about to start.
 
I never got a response, but I gave one once. I was done flying and tying down the AA1B that I had just climbed out of, when I heard the pilot of the plane next to me yell Clear! I looked over, and while no one was in the way, he had neglected to pull the chocks on the right main. I walked over to where he could see me and gave him the signal to shut the engine down. Once the engine stopped, I went over and pulled the chocks, and held them up for him to see.
 
flyingron said:
Many years ago I was standing in the engine nacelle of a 767 parked on the ramp at PHL. I grabbed the turbine and gave it a good spin. Seconds later the loadmaster came running out from behind the wing. He thought the engine was about to start.
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:idea:

:no:
 
As the safety judge at NIFA region 6 college air meets I penalize contestants that do not yell clear, don’t make eye contact with surrounding individuals or do not allow a brief time frame for response on the ramp. I do not hold a very high regard for pilots that do not extend the courtesy of fore warning other individuals they are firing up their engine.
And I have personally experienced a pilot starting up a Beech 18 and cutting a Rambler in half with the right prop, it was parked in front of the right wing with a flat tire. Line crew could have forewarned the pilot if he would not have been in a big hurry or if he would have just walked around the airplane. Pilot was a crony of the airport manager so they fired the line boy that owned the Rambler and was trying to transport a transient pilot, passenger and their bags from the flight line to the terminal during a rain shower. Lucky no one got killed.
 
roncachamp said:
I never shout ‘clear prop’ prior to starting my engine. I'd feel like an idiot.
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You’d feel even worse just *if* that saved someone’s life.

Do we ignore all safety precautions because we feel stupid? I feel stupid acknowledging a specific runway to cross but I understand it’s a system of checks and balances.
 
Kritchlow said:
You’d feel even worse just *if* that saved someone’s life.

Do we ignore all safety precautions because we feel stupid? I feel stupid acknowledging a specific runway to cross but I understand it’s a system of checks and balances.
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I feel sorry for folks who fail to understand safety systems. My pre-job safety brief is simple and to the point: I’ve been hauled to the hospital and I’ve hauled people to the hospital. I don’t need to do either ever again. Let’s do things right and watch out for each other.

‘Clear prop’, acknowledging crossings, and even reading back clearances are just parts of safety systems and watching out for the other guy.

OTOH I’m still wrestling with turning on the landing light for taxi but I’m slowly getting there.
 
Fly-ins and flight breakfasts scare me the most, and I have seen numerous close calls. Having the non-aviation public freely wandering around active aircraft scare the heck out of me. I once saw a warbird getting ready to start, call "clear", get the all clear signal, when an elderly gentleman came out of nowhere and stuck his head into the engine cowl to get a look at the radial engine. Fortunately we had several spotters and started frantically waving for the pilot to abort, he was only seconds away from engaging the starter.
 
Not yelling clear when you think nobody is around is like not checking If you have fuel when you think you have fuel.
 
I have Super Soundproofing or so it says in the books so I just give a couple beeps on the horn to let people know I'm turning over the prop.
 
DanWilkins said:
In my world I almost always hear the response 'clear' if there are people around. In fact I will not push the starter button unless I get a clear visual and/or audio response. It is a safety thing. Of course I have no forward visibility in my plane and that 101" Hamilton Standard is a far reaching and sharp sword.
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Push to start? Wow. A plane ahead of its time. My wifes new car has one of those now too!
 
Unit74 said:
Push to start? Wow. A plane ahead of its time. My wifes new car has one of those now too!
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It’s the old school way!

All three of mine have some kind of push starter.

The Waco has a push button on the panel just like the 52 Ford I used to drive.

The Beech 18 has 3 push buttons (starter, primer and mesh/shower of sparks)

The T6 has a foot pedal starter you push on.
 
Well, I've always taught it, and say it myself. Usually gets a response from people hanging around the airport by turning to look at us. Which is good and the intention. I stress to students that on weekends more people and kids are usually wondering around the ramp and parking areas, so get that head moving too before turning that key. It pays to be safe, even if some think it's stupid and/or funny.
 
Kritchlow said:
You’d feel even worse just *if* that saved someone’s life.

Do we ignore all safety precautions because we feel stupid? I feel stupid acknowledging a specific runway to cross but I understand it’s a system of checks and balances.
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roncachamp. Short for Aeronca Champion. No electrical system, no starter. I have a complete view of the area of concern when I start my airplane. The only person not clear of the prop is me.
 
I once saved a fellow airman the embarrassment and huge fuel bill that one would expect from towing the airfield around all day. I told him why I gave him the kill signal and offered to undo the tail tie-down for him. He thanked my by taking me on his $100 hamburger run with him and I thanked him by picking up the check for the burgers.
 
Salty said:
The point of yelling clear is to warn the person you didn't see, not the person you did see and know is already clear.
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ya but....do ya wait for a response before spinning it up? ....or just look for the debris field while it's spinning? :confused:
 
Fearless Tower said:
It’s the old school way!

All three of mine have some kind of push starter.

The Waco has a push button on the panel just like the 52 Ford I used to drive.

The Beech 18 has 3 push buttons (starter, primer and mesh/shower of sparks)

The T6 has a foot pedal starter you push on.
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Apparently some of the new planes have keys!?! None of mine do. Heck, one doesn't even have a starter...well, it has an armstrong starter... Oh, and another thing. There are even planes with flaps! ;) I was giving some thought to upgrading the panel in my nicest plane by getting a turn and bank indicator. again... ;)
 
DanWilkins said:
Apparently some of the new planes have keys!?! None of mine do. Heck, one doesn't even have a starter...well, it has an armstrong starter... Oh, and another thing. There are even planes with flaps! ;) I was giving some thought to upgrading the panel in my nicest plane by getting a turn and bank indicator. again... ;)
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I was looking at a Tiger Moth that was entered for judging at Sun-N-Fun last week and something just didn't seem right. Then it occurred to me. There was a starter gear poking out from the cowling.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Good question @Ryanb

I generally only yell clear if I've seen someone within 100 yards of the plane. I also don't dilly dally once inside, I'm usually started up pretty quickly.

I also have a painfully bright LED beacon which should clue people in as well.
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Same here. I usually do a final walk around of the airplane just before I hop in. If nobody is around than I don’t always feel the need to shout.
 
denverpilot said:
I just yell “clear”. I figure someone dumb enough to be near the prop probably doesn’t know what a prop is. :)
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Clear-prop is better at a fly-in IMHO.

At a fly-in there are many children, distracted parents, elderly people, and others on the ramp who might not understand what's going on. They might not recognize immediately the significance of a single word "clear". Or they might not hear well. The extra word will give them a better chance of grasping what's about to happen.

If I kill somebody, it will not help their families or anyone if I dismiss them as "dumb." I should have done better.
 
denverpilot said:
How about, “GTF away from this airplane or you might diiiiiiieeeee!” LOL
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That would work.

Timing is everything, though. Only say it when leaving. It would be bad form to say it upon arrival at the fly-in, especially when hoping for a ticket to a free breakfast.
 
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