Originally Posted by
welshwaffu
I remember an old leading hand (RN) regaling me with a dit when he got charged with assault. He had spotted a WREN marshalling a Gannet onto a spot at Prestwick. To him, she seemed mesmerised by the prop/props and she was way too close for the pilot to see her, frozen in front of the A/C. Instinctively, he reached for wooden chock and chucked it at her, dropping her to the ground just before she was blended. May have saved her life but up before the C/O on defaulters!
Given the mesmeric and stroboscopic effects of props are well known, sounds about right for military "management " ....instead of a commendation for potentially saving her life.
For the OP, "some time ago " at the RAF's country spa retreat near Wendover, the message, accompanied by some very lurid "cartoon " style excellent flight safety posters from that era, was very simple " ALWAYS treat a prop as " LIVE ! "....and that stays with you I can assure you.
Yes, there is obviously a difference between a turbo-prop, which, if it decides to windmill, is going to hurt you.. a lot.. and a piston prop which will simply shred you into various size chunks.
But, the adage remains the same.
Witnessed more than a few G/A aircraft being helped along by people tugging on the prop..." not a clever idea " and one memorable day, for him, listened along with others, as it was "explained in simple, easy to understand, words " to a newly arrived individual at Dishforth gliding club who was happily about to reach for the prop on a Lycoming Chipmunk why his parentage and intellect may be questionable