Yelling clear and starting up..

RyanB

RyanB

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Time for Ryan's little rant. I am no one to critique but noticing how some people will yell clear and turn the key a second later doesn't make any sense. There is no point to even yell clear if you're going to do this :mad2: the whole point is to warn others that may be around that the engine is about to start, thus turning the key a second later gives no reaction time. :dunno:
 
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Or how some people will yell clear when they can see whether or not someone is in front of the prop. Taildraggers, sure, yell away because you often can't see over the cowl. For everyone else in trikes, why are you yelling? Is your eyesight so bad that you can't see to the prop?
 
EdFred said:
Or how some people will yell clear when they can see whether or not someone is in front of the prop. Taildraggers, sure, yell away because you often can't see over the cowl. For everyone else in trikes, why are you yelling? Is your eyesight so bad that you can't see to the prop?
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While you make a somewhat valid point I would like to say why not? Can you see 360 degrees around your airplane at any given point in time? Can you be 100% sure that no one is coming up from behing the airplane? Maybe it is night time...

It takes little effort to yell "Clear prop." Take the five seconds and do it.

Just my thoughts.
 
Ryanb said:
Time for Ryan's little rant. I am no one to critique but noticing how some people will yell clear and turn the key a second later doesn't make any sense. There is no point to even yell clear if you're going to do this :mad2: the whole point is to warn others that may be around that the engine is about to start, thus turning the key a second later gives no reaction time. :dunno:
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I don't yell "clear" when starting my airplane. But then I don't turn a key either.
 
Soldier64 said:
While you make a somewhat valid point I would like to say why not? Can you see 360 degrees around your airplane at any given point in time? Can you be 100% sure that no one is coming up from behing the airplane? Maybe it is night time...

It takes little effort to yell "Clear prop." Take the five seconds and do it.

Just my thoughts.
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If I had a pusher plane, I would worry about someone coming up from behind. Since I have a low wing, someone is going to have to walk alllllll the way around and enter my field of view. As for night time: LED landing/taxi lights.
 
With some of the larger stuff you can't exactly pop your head out and yell, I got into the habit of flashing my strobes once before starting now, looking around and letting her rip.
 
I was raised yelling clear and having the strobes on solely as a secondary precaution for anyone around that I can't see.
 
It's my responsibility to assure my prop and prop blast don't do harm. That's done with my eyes, not by yelling something that may attract a person or dog. Yelling clear is silly. If you want to make a better point yell "get the F--k away!". Even a non-flier will get the gist of that. Personally I look around but I never yell clear. Walkers with iPods blaring won't hear it and they're my biggest nuisance.
 
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Gerhardt said:
I was raised yelling clear and having the strobes on solely as a secondary precaution for anyone around that I can't see.
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I too have no problem sounding out a loud clear. I'm sure some folks laugh at it. So what. I come from an industry that understands the need for safety protocols and have learned it's not the things that you see that are a problem, its the things you didn't see. None of us is perfect so follow the protocol and sound off. Do count to five or prime the engine or something to delay a bit prior to starting after sounding off.

Another point to make is sure, it's often quiet around your hangar and it seems silly to sound off. You aren't always around the hangar so please remember to sound off if you're parked on the line or you're firing it up in front of the mechanic's shop.
 
I think it's a little bit of a nit picky rant. It's not about reaction time. If someone is close enough to your prop for safety to be an issue, of course you're not yell "Clear" and immediately start the engine. I just tell people I'm about to start, let them get out of the way, then yell "Clear prop" and then start the engine.
 
I yell "Clear prop" and LOOK around for pedestrians/vehicles and LISTEN for any responses. If I have a passenger, they usually look on their side and give thumbs up "my side is clear". THEN I turn the key.

Yelling "clear" without looking and listening and while the key is about to turn is not the best way to ensure a clear prop area.
 
BigBadLou said:
Yelling "clear" without looking and listening and while the key is about to turn is not the best way to ensure a clear prop area.
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I'd look and feel like an idiot if I yelled "clear" before starting my airplane.
 
Or you'd have to keep backing away from the prop every time you yelled it. That'd make a good comedy skit. Funny stuff.
 
Stewartb said:
Walkers with iPods blaring won't hear it and they're my biggest nuisance.
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Is this really a problem at your airport? We have walkers sometimes, but I don't think I have ever heard seen one wearing earbuds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
BigBadLou said:
I yell "Clear prop" and LOOK around for pedestrians/vehicles and LISTEN for any responses. If I have a passenger, they usually look on their side and give thumbs up "my side is clear". THEN I turn the key.

Yelling "clear" without looking and listening and while the key is about to turn is not the best way to ensure a clear prop area.
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+1 same, I yell clear, and I like to turn my head and look and listen for anyone and then start.
 
EdFred said:
Or how some people will yell clear when they can see whether or not someone is in front of the prop. Taildraggers, sure, yell away because you often can't see over the cowl. For everyone else in trikes, why are you yelling? Is your eyesight so bad that you can't see to the prop?
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Advise others on the ramp that a plane is going to start, and blow a significant amount of air around.

Keep kids in check, hold pets, grab your hat, etc.
 
docmirror said:
Advise others on the ramp that a plane is going to start, and blow a significant amount of air around.

Keep kids in check, hold pets, grab your hat, etc.
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Good point, especially at a fly-in where there are people walking everywhere. Although some of the Gastons I've been to (hot and humid), people would line up behind a plane when a pilot called clear! Ahhh, breeze.
 
Makes people think you are an excellent pilot. Looks very professional .
 
Pilawt said:
Show of hands: How many (others) have absent-mindedly yelled "clear" before starting your car?

:redface:
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I have never done that. I have, however shifted my attention from the windshield to the instrument panel in heavy rains in an effort to switch to instruments. I don't advise that!!!!!
 
I'll usually wait a few seconds. Then say clear left, straight, right, and back
 
I yell clear prop, look around, and then crank. But this thread got me to thinking...why?

If someone who knows aviation walks up to the prop of an airplane that has people in it and the beacon going, then they're prime candidates for the Darwin award.

Many non-aviation people likely don't understand the significance of the warning in the first place.

I'll likely continue to do it but I'm with Ed, looking around is far more important.
 
Pilawt said:
Show of hands: How many (others) have absent-mindedly yelled "clear" before starting your car?

:redface:
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I do if I've got the hood up and others are around.

Sometimes I do it just to be obnoxious. (car) :stirpot:

George
 
One summer when I was flying in Alaska I did a charter in a 172. I had 2 passengers with no bags. As I landed my pencil fell from my hand and onto the floor. I pulled onto the ramp which is just big enough to hold 3 maybe 4 C-172s.

On the edge of the ramp area I noticed two elders walking with a little girl about 4 years old. I stopped, shut down and opened the door for the passengers, closed the door, shoved in the mixture, turned on the mags and then decided to pick up my pencil. Total time from shutdown almost starting was maybe 30 seconds.

As I sat up from retrieving my pencil, that little girl walked from under the prop and to my door. I almost soiled my Carhartts.

I turned off the mags, pulled the mixture out and then stepped outside. I took the little girl by her hand and walked her over to the elders. I told them it would be much safer if they didn't let her walk around the planes. Grandma just said she likes to look at the planes.

When I got back the plane my legs were shaking so bad that I had to crawl into the plane. As the realization sank in to what almost happened it was all I could do to not toss the cookies.

In native villages there is no fence around the airport. Kids will play on the runway and ramp because the ramp is usually the biggest clear spot to play.

Looking and paying attention to what and who is around the prop is important. All it takes is a couple seconds.
 
So we've become so bloated with ego's and mocha latte's that we can't even utter a single verbal warning for the sake of safety?

This country's going down bubba...:nonod:
 
Aviation safety has generally been reactive and not proactive. Almost all the procedures we have came about in response to a pattern of unnecessary risk.

There's a story about an airport dog that used to nap under airplanes but knew to run away when somebody yelled "clear." There are guys who claim that their control surfaces were free and clear during preflight but jammed up in the runup area from a rock or a snake (OK, I made that up), or some other changed condition.

The surest way to learn for yourself why some dumb item was on the checklist is to omit until it bites you in the rear.
 
I always yell it, since I sound so officious.

Our airport has a lot of vehicle traffic on the taxiways and most of the regulars know that when the bacon, er beacon, comes on there's going to be some whiskers spinning, er an engine start, momentarily.

It's the newbies on the field that I'm yelling to (or perhaps AT)
 
cgrab said:
To cross threads...don't you have to look back to straight ahead between looking left and right?
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I yell clear out of the little window on the left. Look left, look straight, look right, and finally back. I'm not sure I understand your question. Between left and right, I look straight.
 
Gucci Pilot said:
I technically have a crew chief that clears the area for me.
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frfly172 said:
Makes people think you are an excellent pilot. Looks very professional .
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Yep. Nothing says class like a finely-tuned ground crew.

Down%20at%20the%20FBO_zpsunmgb0di.jpg
 
jordane93 said:
I yell clear out of the little window on the left. Look left, look straight, look right, and finally back. I'm not sure I understand your question. Between left and right, I look straight.
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Sorry, there is a thread about mag checks and whether one should go back to "on" between checking the left and right. I tried (and failed) to connect the two.
 
cgrab said:
Sorry, there is a thread about mag checks and whether one should go back to "on" between checking the left and right. I tried (and failed) to connect the two.
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I got it and found it humorous.
 
cgrab said:
Sorry, there is a thread about mag checks and whether one should go back to "on" between checking the left and right. I tried (and failed) to connect the two.
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I think I might have posted in the beginning of that thread. I'm curious to what it became now!
 
I always look as carefully as I can, even at my usually deserted home drome. Problem is, humans usually only see what they expect, and most of us really don't expect folks walking around our airplanes as we're starting up. I nearly always yell, just in case I missed someone. No one is perfect,and it only takes one. Seems like a really parsimonious bit of safety.
 
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