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By CaptCrispy
#1083007
Not a problem as such but something for us new pilots to think about.

I had my first passenger recently and after engine start I noticed a banging sound, never heard before. The ground was wet grass and mud so I assumed it was bits of Carp being pushed up.

Doing power checks it was worse so I had the embarrassing moment where I had to shut down surrounded by other aircraft doing power checks and waiting to enter the runway.

A quick investigation found that part of the passengers seat belt was locked outside their door, a simple fix before continuing.

I don't think my passenger was put off or scared, I saw no specific change in behaviour, though I am sure others may well have been terrified of the pilot having to stop the engine and get out.

What did I learn? When helping the passenger with their belt, do it from OUTSIDE the aircraft where you can see everything.
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By davidair
#1083011
this happened to me as a passenger once, but it wasn't noticed until after takeoff and in crosswind. sent shockwaves down my pilot's and my back... was a C152, so opening the door and pulling the belt back in was no problem, fortunately...
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By Irv Lee
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1083012
Cessna?
Good to get it over with so early in your flying life, you will always check that now and also recognise it instantly if you hear it.
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By Irv Lee
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1083040
CaptCrispy wrote:Yep, 152 and yes, ingrained in the grey matter for life!

It's one of those things that you make sure only happen once in your life - like trapping "yourself" in a zip fastener ;-)

ps: On reflection of the statement above, I don't actually mean 'only happen once', I mean 'happen never more than once' - "never" is even better!
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By Irv Lee
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1083128
CaptCrispy wrote:Perhaps I am doomed, I don't trap 'myself' in a zipper regularly - but it's certainly happended more than once :oops:

Blimey, I'm amazed, having done it once, I am absolutely 100% sure that I will never do that again! (not, you understand, because of accidental amputation, the zip wasn't that strong, but merely a level of pain that I don't want to experience again seems to have concentrated my mind somewhat)
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By Irv Lee
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1083175
I can't believe we haven't heard from Timothy, he must be busy on another thread. If you will allow me to impersonate him, I think he'll actually appreciate me saving him time and thank me:
[Timothy]
"This used to happen to me all the time, then the girls told me to stop wearing zipped ankle boots, and I've never had the problem since"
[/Timothy]
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By Gertie
#1083270
CaptCrispy wrote:A quick investigation found that part of the passengers seat belt was locked outside their door, a simple fix before continuing.

Stock issue in a 152. It's even explicitly described in the book I got whilst training - the Cessna Pilot Centre Manual of Flight.

In my case it didn't start banging until the take-off roll. Stopped on the runway, sorted it out, took off (so many years ago that I don't now recall whether I backtracked or just used what was left of the 2km tarmac runway).
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By Timothy
#1083506
Sorry not to have picked up on that, Irv.

You have missed the most painful aspect, though, which is to shut yourself in the door and be banging around in flight. You don't do that twice.
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By cotterpot
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1083788
What did I learn? When helping the passenger with their belt, do it from OUTSIDE the aircraft where you can see everything.


Might be a bit of a problem getting back in if you fly a PA28 :D