How Many Time Have You???

October 29 - Safe Prop Tip is a Stationary Aircraft Propeller Tip Guard for general aviation aircraft propellers. It is designed to reduce the risk of injury from, and heighten awareness of the tips of a stationary aircraft propeller.

Behind any invention you will find a story and Safe Prop Tip is no different. While moving around and cleaning his Cessna 172 several years ago, Jeff walked right into the tip of an aircraft propeller. “I stuck the stationary prop right in my chest, boy did I feel stupid and it didn’t physically feel good either,” says Jeff. From that point on Jeff made sure the prop was in the vertical position when moving around the parked aircraft.

Then, as many fathers do, he brought his 2-year-old daughter, Haley, along to the airport. The two were debugging the 172 and “Little Haley walked right into the vertical propeller – must run in the family.” Jeff quickly realized that no matter what the position of the prop, it always presented someone the opportunity to walk into it. Now, Jeff’s Piper Lance with a 3-bladed propeller (pictured below) presented an even greater risk of injury. He also noted that when ramp crews moved aircraft around in crowded hangars the props of other parked aircraft were hard to keep an eye on and could quickly cause hangar rash. Jeff first began taping surveyors tape to his prop tip and eventually developed a more sophisticated propeller safety device – Safe Prop Tip.

Safe Prop Tip is constructed of bright Red fabric on the outside so that maximum attention is achieved. Reflective tap on the front of the guard improves awareness even at night. A heavy material lines the inside so even a rough prop tip will be accepted and maximum product life will be realized. The guards are approximately three inches thick and seven inches long and constructed of dense foam. The size has been standardized so that one size will fit a 2-bladed prop up to 230 hp and a 3-bladed prop up to 300 hp. Safe Prop Tip can be disassembled and washed if it becomes soiled. It is intended for indoor use; outdoor use is acceptable but a shorter product life will be realized. An elastic ribbon holds the guards together and serves as perfect location for the “Remove before Starting Engine”

streamer. As a standard pre-flight inspection is completed the Safe Prop Tip is removed and stored in the same manner as cowl plugs or a pilot tube cover.