Hand starting.
Reports of a fatal accident in San Diego trying to hand swing a Cherokee.
Without making any comment on this particular accident:
I can understand the circumstances in which all sorts of people might want to hand start an airplane, I am just wondering how many would try and have they had any training.
Mind you: When I was learning to fly I was "trained" to hand swing. It consisted of
"Check for chocks or brakes (G*D, we used to try it on the brakes,)
"Check the switches are off
Stand here ' like this' and pull the prop through three times,
Turn the switches on,
Stand 'like this' (outside the prop arc,) and pull like this (one hand on tip only,) swing leg back and step away as she goes through.
It was about three minutes training only and then everyone seemed to think we were competent. I only once, and shortly after, had to do it for real. These days I don't think I would even consider it, anyway my Rotax is behind structural cables and geared so I don't even go near it unless I have checked everything is turned off, twice.