"Slaves" To Petroleum......

The terrible situation in New Orleans seems to be getting worse. Snipers shooting at Doctors trying to evacuate patients, "what the?", it amazes me the military has been so slow to be deployed. Anyhow, my heart goes out to the people suffering in New Orleans and elsewhere. People who have lost loved ones, and all belongings. Belongings are just material things, but they represent years of hard work for many people. It makes one's own minor, everyday problems, pretty insignificant. Good to see Presidents Bush Sr. and Clinton helping when called upon, they are both good men.

Gas prices now will go through the roof, and one now becomes aware, in times of crisis, how our lives, and the global economy, are tied to "OIL". A Merle Haggard song comes to mind, and the lyrics....."When they find out how to burn water, and the gasoline car is gone, when an airplane flies without any fuel, and the sunlight heats our homes, one of these days when the air clears up, and the sun comes shining through, we'll all be drinking that "free bubble-ubb", and eating that "Rainbow Stew"! Can't wait!

Here is an image my friend Rick Eyolfson sent me, and it needs no explanation.


Need I say anything? 

When I posted the other day, "Hockey And Airplanes", Steve's Idea Of A Saturday Well-Spent!, I came across an interesting piece of info on the DC-3. I have hand-propped many airplanes, including a Beaver on floats, while drifting towards rocks and trees in high winds, but check this out.
------- ------- --------------

"ROPE-STARTING A DC-3"

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. IN ADDITION, A CHECK SHOULD
BE MADE THROUGH THE OPERATIONS OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT NO OPERATIONAL
ALTERNATIVE IS POSSIBLE.

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 IS 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.

Serial No.7-2-1
Issued:6.1.66



Hilarious diagram! I would like to attempt this, I'm sure it can be done! One last pic, my friend Paul Kroeker, who flies Selkirk Air's Polish Otter, C-GCDX, sent me a nice action photo! Here it is, CDX is a friggin' beautiful Otter!


What a beautiful machine! 1958 Otter, Serial # 314! Thanks, Paul! 

Till next time,

"Lukim yu bihain"......Tok Pisin [Pidgin English] (New Guinea)