Then I saw your post and thought- what would you guys see if you watched me prep and start a plane for flying? I have enough scars on my fingers to know that I am prone to forget about safe practices, and am never upset if someone takes the time to say- Hey- you might want to watch out there!
Guess we've all done some pretty dumbolddo things...around the staging areas..
For example...
I saw a friend (Bob Parker) give the starting signal to the judges...
Gave that prop a beeeeeeeeeeuuuuutiful first flip start...(then he didn't like the needle setting, so he carefully reached over the front of that rippin'snarlin' engine....
gave it a careful small "tweak" but in the process...he NICKED HIS LITTLE PINKY FINGER AGAINST THE PROP
.......THEN HIS REFLEXES TOOK OVER HIS BRAIN...[glow=red,2,300]KAAAAAPOWSKI!!![/glow] "
FLINCH NOT..UNTO UDDERS!!!!!!!!!I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES......AS BOB YANKED HIS HAND BACK THROUGH THAT SPINNING PROP!!!
YES!
As his lauch helper...I WAS COVERED WITH HIS BLOOD!!! ON MY NICE WHITE SWEATER, WHITE PANTS, AND WHITE BUCK SHOES!!!!!
Lucky for BOF US!!!!
...I had in my back hip pocket...a nice white wiping rag...that I wrapped his FLIPPIN FLIPPIN BLOODY FINGERS.
Although he was through for the day...he managed to heal pretty quickly...although he did have a pretty difficult week or two.
How could that have been prevented??? Perhaps a flexible needle valve extension...but thinkin' back...I can remember seeing quite a few "flexible extention springs...that when released...would SOMETIMES...SPRING BACK INTO THE SPINNING PROP...(often with amazing flying projectals that would rival a 22 long rifle shot.