Glen Saunders of Rotax told me once that the 912/914 was very easy to hand
prop, and that he had done it several times.
Bill Stewart, N6LB (A098)
----- Original Message -----
From: Garry Stout <gstout@us.ibm.com>
Subject: Re: Pulling on the Prop
> Thanks to everyone who has responded. To summarize the responses it
> appears that the caution in pushing / pulling the plane around by the prop
> is due to the danger that you might rotate the prop, thus triggering an
> inadvertent engine start. This is particularly important in "GA" aircraft
> equipped with magneto ignitions. With respect to Rotax engines, they
don't
> use a magneto, but rather a CDI ignition which requires something like a
> minimum of 600 RPM to cause a spark at the plugs.........highly unlikely
> that one could achieve that RPM by moving the prop by hand. Is there
> anyone out there who has successfully "hand propped" a Rotax to get it
> started? I'd like to know. Never personally heard of such a thing, but
> who knows. I'm happy to report that no one has mentioned that pushing /
> pulling on the prop puts any unusual strain on the prop hub, or on the
> gearbox, which was a concern of mine. Thanks again to all who responded.
> Happy pulling!
>
> Regards,
> Garry
> N4220S
> (813) 878-3929
> FAX (813) 878-5651, Internet ID Garrys@att.com
>
>
> Fred Fillinger <fillinger@ameritech.net>@post.aviators.net on 07/17/2001
> 12:57:23 AM
>
> Please respond to Fred Fillinger <fillinger@ameritech.net>
>
> Sent by: owner-europa@post.aviators.net
>
>
> cc:
> Subject: Re: Pulling on the Prop
>
>
> Garry Stout wrote:
> >
> > I was sitting on the loo this morning, reading my favorite aviation
> > magazine when I read a warning about "never maneuvering an airplane
> around
> > on the ground by pulling or pushing on the prop". For the past 2 1/2
> years
> > that's how I've been moving my Europa around, and that's how I see other
> > Europa owners moving theirs around too. Actually, I don't have any
ideas
> > how I would move the plane around if I couldn't use the prop. Does
> anyone
> > know why we're not supposed to do this? What kind of damage could
arise?
> > Are Rotax powered Europas exempt from this warning because the prop is
> > attached to a gear reduction box instead of directly to the engine
> > crankshaft?
>
> It's not just the gear reduction, but the "mags" on the Rotax ain't
> really mags, but CDI's like on your car which, unlike your car, need X
> RPM on the internal alternator (and CDI's ungrounded - switch on) just
> to achieve a spark. With a Lycoming with Slick mags, and unlucky
> enough to have the key on or a bad P-lead, AND the prop just so to
> clank the impulse coupling, now that's a problem. But even there the
> safety trick is to carefully make sure you're not in a compression
> stroke, and don't turn the prop whilst pushin/pullin (on the shank of
> course). Important, as here in the US, the HMO's no longer give you
> the parrot for the shoulder when they install the Cap'n Hook
> prosthesis for the arm you'll lose.
>
> Regards,
> Fred F, A063
>
>
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