I have made similar posts on similar threads in the past and wanted to copy and paste my earlier post but cannot find it, so.....
Way back in early 1990 when I arrived in PNG for the first time, after doing my endorsement on the 'Bongo Van,' the CP lined both of us newbies up and said something like this;
'Right you blokes, I'm going to show you something that you one day may find useful! Consider the following scenario; It's Friday, 1700 hrs local and you are the other side of the Owen Stanleys at some Godforsaken bush strip
, and all you want to do is get back to Moresby for the Friday Night BBQ and associated pissup at the Aero Club
. You climb into the Islander and try to start one engine only to find that the starter motor has gone U/S!
So this is what you do to get out of the situation.'
He then proceeded to show us (Scott L and myself) exactly how to hand start a 260HP Lycoming.
Climb into the a/c and lock the brakes on. Also chock wheels if possible.
Exit a/c and set Prop at compression. Re enter a/c.
Prime engine as normal.
Ensure throttle is
fully closed, Master switch and
both mags ON.
Exit a/c.
Carefully swing prop, ensuring that all body weight is on front foot as you swing, thereby stepping back as you swing downwards.
After about three attempts the engine started and ran quite nicely at idle. I filed the demonstration away in the memory banks for future reference.
Would you believe it but about 18 months later on my second hitch there,
that exact scenario occurred!! It was late on a Friday afternoon, I was on the other side of the Owen Stanleys with just enough time to get back to Moresby and the starter motor in the LH engine went bagarap!
I had no intentions of missing the BBQ/pissup at the Club Dero and had absolutely no desire to stay in the local Village either, so I performed the abovementioned procedure. It was extremely annoying, especially not having any success after swinging the prop for about 7 or 8 times. By that time what seemed to be the entire Village population was lined up watching me, laughing and (seemingly to me) jeering at the crazy 'long long Balusman.'
This simply made me more determined, and to my enormous relief, somewhere around the 25th attempt at swinging I heard a 'click' followed by a 'whizzing' noise and the engine fired up, idling happily away!
I scrambled into the a/c through one of the rear doors, climbed into the L/H seat and had the other engine fired up quicktaim!
And I was in the air headed back to Moresby somewhat in haste.
Oh and as for all the Villagers; If I remember correctly, they all went very silent when the engine finally fired up and there were many many gaping mouths when I taxied out!
Made my day it did!
Since that time I have handstarted the engine in a Pawnee a few times, using the same technique ie both mags and master on with a fully closed throttle and it has worked ok.
However, I really would be quite happy if I never ever had to do that sort of thing again!
