"Cub Driver" wrote in message ...

Incidentally, the original poster (I think) said that a pilot had to
be at the controls. I was instructed that a pilot or *mechanic* had to
be.

As others have pointed out, there are no requirements in the regs (other than the
catchall don't be a hazard). Back when I was pre-student pilot, I helped a guy
start his taylorcraft. It takes about two minutes to explain how to work the mags
and mixture.

It's unbelievable to me that people would hand prop a plane without either someone
at the controls or the aircraft restrained. Nearly all of these accidents happen because
the throttle is a little more advanced than expected. Even if you had to leave the
controls unattended to untie the running plane, it would be safer (as you'd have the
chance to bring it back to a safer idle first).

Had a hand propping incident at OSH this year. Guy pulls his Luscombe and turns it
perpendicular to the rows. Starts it and it starts heading for the weeds (out accross the
runway cleararea and eventually into some trees). However, the pilot says, "oh no" and
attempts to grab the thing. This only suceeds in turning the aircraft now so that it is
heading through a Cessna wing, and the tent of the aircraft underneath of it. Through
shear dumb luck, the occupants of the tent escape with only cuts from pieces of their
aircraft being thrown into them.