Flying the DC3

[Wingnuts]

That’s fine CE. (She’s jake, mate)
My interest in the 1830 is that I have occasion to run it from time to time and I’ve got a young offsider giving me a bit of stick about ‘procedure’.
If I can get him off his Play Station, I will refer him this forum and he can go figure.
But before we bang and lock the dzus, does anyone have any experience with the rope start?




IN CASES OF EMERGENCY, DC3 ENGINES CAN BE ‘ROPE STARTED’,
SHOULD THE STARTER MOTOR BE INOPERATIVE. IN CARRYING OUT THIS OPERATION, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO SAFETY AND PROCEDURE AND ALWAYS START THE ENGINE TO BE ROPE STARTED, FIRST
PROCEDURE:- WITH THE APPROVED ROPE SLING ON HAND, PROCEED AS FOLLOWS:--

A) CHECK THAT IGNITION SWITCHES ARE 'OFF' AND MIXTURE CONTROL IN IDLE CUT-OFF,


B) THE ENGINE TO BE STARTED SHOULD BE TURNED OVER BY HAND, FOR FOUR AND A HALF COMPLETE TURNS (14 BLADES), TO CHECK FOR HYDRAULICING


C) PRIME ENGINE.
1) IGNITION OFF
2) MIXTURE IDLE CUT-OFF
3) THROTTLE SET (1/2 INCH ON GATE)
4) BOOSTER PUMP ON

5) WHILE THE ENGINE IS BEING TURNED BY HAND, GIVE PRIMING IN ONE SECOND BURSTS (FOUR FOR HOT AND UP TO, PERHAPS, FOURTEEN FOR COLD ENGINE)


6) BOOSTER PUMP OFF.


D) FIT ROPE SLING. PLACE END BOOT OVER ONE BLADE TIP AND ROTATE ENGINE BACK WARDS UNTIL THE FOLLOWING BLADE IS AT THE EIGHT O'CLOCK POSITION AND THEN PLACE SECOND BOOT OVER THE TIP ENSURING THAT :-
A) BOOTS CENTRALLY POSITIONED AROUND BLADE TIPS.
B) ROPES PARALLELED (NO TWISTS)
C) RUBBER SLEEVE (1) LOCATED FIRMLY AGAINST TRAILING EDGE
OF BLADE (B)
D) RUBBER SLEEVE (2) LOCATED ABOUT 2 FT. FROM LEADING EDGE
OF BLADE (B)

LAY OUT REST OF ROPE IN STRAIGHT LINE TOWARDS THE PORT OF THE AIRCRAFT.

YOU ARE NOW READY TO START, TO CHECK 'All CLEAR' DOOR SHUT, STEPS AWAY ETC.

WITH THE PILOT IN THE COCKPIT, MAN THE ROPE WITH, PERHAPS, THREE PEOPLE PLACED COMFORTABLY HOLDING THE ROPE WITH A SLIGHT SAG IN THE MIDDLE,

THE PILOT NOW SWITCHES IGNITION 'ON', BOOSTER PUMP 'ON' AND, AT A GIVEN SIGNAL THE ROPE 1S PULLED THROUGH WITH A JERK AND, IMMEDIATELY THE ENGINE FIRES THE PILOT OPENS THE MIXTURE CONTROL AND FLICKS THE PRIMING SWITCH IF NECESSARY.

SHOULD THE ENGINE NOT START ON FIRST PULL, REPEAT PROCEDURES FROM D)
ENSURING THE IGNITION SWITCHES ARE 'OFF' WHILE THE PROPELLER IS BEING HANDLED.

CAUTION:- TO AVOID POSSIBLE FLOODING ETC.; RETURN MIXTURE CONTROL TO ‘IDLE CUT-OFF’ AND SWITCH OFF BOOSTER, AS SOON AS IT IS REALIZED THAT THE ENGINE HAS NOT STARTED.