Caravan Gouge?

First day in the caravan after the checkride, second leg. I hop in and am about to hit the start switch when I see another pilot (different company) running at my plane waiving his arms.

"WTF?" Says I.

Had the intake plugs and prop anchor still in and secured.

...that could have been "embarrassing" to say the least.

-mini
Well according to one instructor at a certain airline, they're designed rip themselves out if you do that. I suppose he's right, I'm just unsure of the damage said ripping would cause.
 
A little tip, If you put the prop strap on, put the gust lock in the controlls.


One guy that tried to start the engine with the prop strap in place said that the engine spooled up normally. But about the time it got to 50% Ng the bungee broke relasing the prop.
 
Hey Prag PM me if you have some specifics you want to know. I have 1100+ in the van in the upper midwest in bad icing etc. Initially I went through the Pam Am Level D 5 day course while our company was still getting a training program approved. I have all that stuff. Lots of good stuff.
 
Hey Prag PM me if you have some specifics you want to know. I have 1100+ in the van in the upper midwest in bad icing etc. Initially I went through the Pam Am Level D 5 day course while our company was still getting a training program approved. I have all that stuff. Lots of good stuff.
As do a lot of people posting in this thread. I personally have about 900 hours in the Midwest, including STP based, and have had my fair share of encounters. Most of the guys posting here, from what I've read are or were all Turbine Suburban drivers for several hundred hours.

Any info you need, feel free to ask!!! I know I could dig up my little cheat sheet for you if needed. It has pretty much everything you need to know on it...
 
Did that too. I was wondering why the rampies were laughing and pointing when I pulled on the ramp at LCK
I'm proud to say I haven't done that, but I have known a few who have and feel embarased for them. I'm not one to make fun of people when they feel bad. haha who am I kidding that would be funny.
 
Yeah, I've forgotten the jockstrap before. I wondered by the prop wasn't turning.
Second question-how big of a flame have you shot of starting up again?

Theres a reason I don't use the tail stand!
 
As do a lot of people posting in this thread. I personally have about 900 hours in the Midwest, including STP based, and have had my fair share of encounters. Most of the guys posting here, from what I've read are or were all Turbine Suburban drivers for several hundred hours.

Any info you need, feel free to ask!!! I know I could dig up my little cheat sheet for you if needed. It has pretty much everything you need to know on it...

Good for you. I was based in ANE for 4 1/2 years flying the van, aztec,navajos,senecas, etc.
 
Well according to one instructor at a certain airline, they're designed rip themselves out if you do that. I suppose he's right, I'm just unsure of the damage said ripping would cause.

That's interesting information. I wonder why FSI doesn't tell you that little gem but they stress that the tail-stand will break away if you forget it.

I have yet to see how the tail-stand can break away, unless it's a newer model tail-stand.

I don't think I want to be one to find out how much damage it causes. That's a check my body can't cover.

A little tip, If you put the prop strap on, put the gust lock in the controlls.
I'm definitely going to start doing that. Excellent idear!

-mini
 
Yeah, I've forgotten the jockstrap before. I wondered by the prop wasn't turning.
Second question-how big of a flame have you shot of starting up again?

Theres a reason I don't use the tail stand!
I use to think the tail stand was pointless too, until I did a special out of Charlie West and I was in getting coffee when a forklift came up to my plane and promptly threw a 1000 lb box in the back of the plane. Only reason that plane has a tail anymore is because it's tailstand.
 
Whenever I have a load of any significance in the Van before I take off the tailstand I hop up on it and see if I can swing freely. It's a little w&b sanity check. I figure if it can hold my 180lbs at the very tail and not tip over, it'll probably be alright. Only had that fail once coming out of LCK, hopped up on it and had the tailstand hit the ground... had to rearrange things a little on that one.

~Z


I use to think the tail stand was pointless too, until I did a special out of Charlie West and I was in getting coffee when a forklift came up to my plane and promptly threw a 1000 lb box in the back of the plane. Only reason that plane has a tail anymore is because it's tailstand.
 
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