Boarding with engines running

Pilots have differing attitudes about safety. You can usually board a
low wing twin with engines running, but it's difficult to hold the
door, etc. The slipstream from even an idling prop is very strong.
Since props in motion tend to be invisible in peripheral vision, it's
easy for even informed airport personnel to accidentally walk into
them, as is reported with distressing frequency. A compromise is to
shut down the boarding side. A very careful pilot will always shut
down both for boarding and accept the time delay. I never leave my
single running to board or exchange passengers.

On a related note, how long can you safely leave an aircraft (engines off)
with just the parking brake set, and when do you normally put chocks under the
wheels?


Depends on wind and ground slope. Parking brakes on cars use a cable;
parking brakes on many small aircraft instead lock the brakes with
hydraulic pressure. Since this may expand as temperatures warm up,
most pilots don't leave parking brakes on more than temporarily,
usually only until the chocks are in place. Bigger airports always
have chocks available. I carry a small aluminum pair when flying
cross country.

On Feb 23, 7:04 pm, Mxsmanic wrote:
Is it safe/advisable to board a small single- or twin-engined aircraft while
the prop(s) and engine(s) are turning? I'm just wondering if this is feasible
if you just have someone getting on or getting off (with the pilot being in
the aircraft the whole time).

On a related note, how long can you safely leave an aircraft (engines off)
with just the parking brake set, and when do you normally put chocks under the
wheels?

Only time I'd even consider boarding a passenger with the engine
running is if they were a pilot, instructor or mechanic.
--
Gene Seibel
Tales of Flight - http://pad39a.com/gene/tales.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.

Little Endian schrieb:


I just don't understand it, why do you need to go to such great
lengths in a simulator?


Because we, the simmers, like to simulate RL as closely as possible,
that´s the reason why we simulate RL.

A friend of mine, who is a RL pilot, too, goes the other way; he
does things in the sim he wouldn´t think of doing in RL, which is
not the way I use MSFS. Therefore, I only fly with him in RL, not in the
sim, because only RL comes close to my experience in the sim.

Yes, I know, difficult to explain ...


:-) Andreas

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
snip

Thus, I wanted to know if it's possible/safe/practical to sit with the
engines
running while someone gets into or out of the plane, much as one would do
with
a car when picking someone up. Maybe that is too farfetched for an
aviation
context. I suppose the passenger would have to be able to get to the
aircraft
on his own, and I don't know how tough that would be. And if the pilot
had to
help him board or disembark, I assume it would be way too risky to leave
the
aircraft running while he left his seat and got out of the plane.

If the passenger was a pilot or very familiar with airplane ops I might stay
in my seat with the engine running. But for the most part I would shut
down, assist the boarding process, and restart. For a quick pax pickup the
parking brakes would do the trick.

Danny Deger

I just don't understand it, why do you need to go to such great
lengths in a simulator?


Because we, the simmers, like to simulate RL as closely as possible,
that´s the reason why we simulate RL.

A friend of mine, who is a RL pilot, too, goes the other way; he
does things in the sim he wouldn´t think of doing in RL, which is
not the way I use MSFS. Therefore, I only fly with him in RL, not in the
sim, because only RL comes close to my experience in the sim.

Yes, I know, difficult to explain ...


He flew the sim Pitts through WHERE???????

Oh! No! Not the Baltimore Harbour Tunnell!!!!!

Peter
(Sorry, couldn't resist... :-))))

Pilots have differing attitudes about safety. You can usually board a
low wing twin with engines running, but it's difficult to hold the
door, etc. The slipstream from even an idling prop is very strong.
Since props in motion tend to be invisible in peripheral vision, it's
easy for even informed airport personnel to accidentally walk into
them, as is reported with distressing frequency. A compromise is to
shut down the boarding side. A very careful pilot will always shut
down both for boarding and accept the time delay. I never leave my
single running to board or exchange passengers.

Even when the saftey problems are adiquately addressed, an idling engine on
the far side of a twin moves a lot of air and can be disruptive to the
operation. I don't know, but suspect that part of the decision might
involve the availability of a jumper cart--just in case.


On a related note, how long can you safely leave an aircraft (engines
off)
with just the parking brake set, and when do you normally put chocks
under the
wheels?


Depends on wind and ground slope. Parking brakes on cars use a cable;
parking brakes on many small aircraft instead lock the brakes with
hydraulic pressure. Since this may expand as temperatures warm up,
most pilots don't leave parking brakes on more than temporarily,
usually only until the chocks are in place. Bigger airports always
have chocks available. I carry a small aluminum pair when flying
cross country.

In my part of the country, parking brakes on light aircraft are used rarely,
if at all. I have always presumed this was to facilitate the towing of
aircraft by ramp service personnel.

Transport aircraft are another matter, on which I have no recent
knowledge--however the hierarchy of ownership and operation, as well as the
mechanical features of the brakes, are completely different--so parking
brake use could be nearly universal.

In any case, chocks are frequently used as well and some careful light plane
owners always tie down their aircraft--even for a few minutes. That
minimizes the hazard of the propeller blast from another aircraft, and is
excellent and inexpensive insurance which I plan to use when I resume
flying.

Peter

Peter Dohm schrieb:



He flew the sim Pitts through WHERE???????

Oh! No! Not the Baltimore Harbour Tunnell!!!!!

Peter
(Sorry, couldn't resist... :-))))



Peter, ?

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"EridanMan" wrote

when park your plane.... duh?

Just for the uninformed, this is a troll,; a disturbed person that only
flies microsoft flight simulator, and is afraid to get in a real airplane.
He has problems with reality, and should be treated as a troll, and
ignored.
--
Jim in NC

Ok, is there ANYONE here who isn't already familier with Mr. Maniac's
background? Don't be shy - raise your hand.

Anyone?

Nope. I didn't think so.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe schrieb:


Ok, is there ANYONE here who isn't already familier with Mr. Maniac's
background? Don't be shy - raise your hand.

Anyone?

Here!

Morgans schrieb:

Just for the uninformed, this is a troll

definition?

:-) Andreas

P.S. Get'n fed up with this on r.a.p!