On Tue, 15 May 2007 12:59:05 GMT, "Doug Palmer"
wrote:

The reasonings ranged from "you should not turn an engine backwards" to
"turning the engine backwards disarms the impulse coupling", to several
issues in between.

The local airport owns two Cubs that are of course always propped. The
one I fly has impulse coupling; I think the other does as well. At
various times I've been propped by flight instructors, the airport
manager, and the airport owner. I've never moved the prop backwards
myself, but I've often seen them do it repeatedly -- I think to unload
the carb because they've flooded it with repeated pulls. I've never
heard anyone remark that it shouldn't go backwards.

However! I've never moved a prop unless someone was standing on the
brakes, and since if I'm propping the plane it's usually because the
guy at the controls is a stranger who probably knows little about
Cubs, I always prop from behind.

Blue skies! -- Dan Ford