Many,many years ago I was doing "eagles" near the beutiful village of Castlederg,Co Derry. One of my winscreen wipers departed as they were wont to do. The heater was on and I couldn't hear the radio, my crewman was busy making sure that the UDR soldiers in the back - average age 58! - were still alive. I thought I heard my callsign on the radio but to make sure I went to switch the heater off, you've guessed it I went to move the HP cock but took my hand away just in time. Iv'e also seen it closed in error on the ground by a dear friend and when he put it forward again very quickly the engine re-lit!!
As a postscript to the first part of my tale, on return to Omagh I told my crewman that I almost turned off the HP cock and he said " no you didn't, if you'd have moved that lever 1mm I would have broken your ****ing arm sarge" Thanks Gerry!
I would love to meet the designer of that little arrangement and shake him warmly by the throat - CRM my @rse! it was a single pilot aircraft by design.
[ 05 December 2001: Message edited by: tqnct4cwp ]