"Newps" wrote in message
. ..

If the engine is properly shutdown (boost pump off, throttle slightly
above idle, and mixture to cut off) the chances are greatly reduced than
if you just kill the engine by turn off the mags. Additionally, some
people recommend checking your mags before shutdown to make sure you
don't have a broken P lead which would also help. A flying club I used
to belong to had a "policy" (not a rule, just a suggestion that it would
be nice if you did it) of turning the prop vertical after parking it to
keep the birds from sitting on it and pooing on the plane.

Obviously the safest way to prevent an accidental fire while hand turning
the prop is to not do it. When I do turn a prob by hand, I try to do it
in the direction it turns while running, turn slowly to minimize any
compression (don't know if that is true either, just what I was taught),
and only use the palms of my hand on the face of the prop to minimize the
possibility of the prop smacking the back of my hand should it fire.
YMMV.


That's only true with 2 cyclce engines, even then, ignition timing is a
factor. The rotational derection of a 4 cycle engine is determined by the
cam, valve and ignition timing. Twin engine aircraft with counter rotating
props/engines have beend designed specifically to do so. The engines as a
whole, are not interchangable.