There are many misconceptions about prop wash. There is the classic hazing of a new pilot, asking him or her to get a bucket of it—and then in all seriousness, there are warnings to be mindful of it. Prop wash, the wind coming off the propeller toward the back of the aircraft, does more than mess up your hair and blow your cap off—it can cause a lot of damage to both persons and property, and therefore it must be respected.
Prop wash is a ground thing. It is a hazard right up there with running over a chock or tiedown rope. I have been flying since the Reagan administration. In July, I will mark 20 years as a CFI, and I will tell you that with the exception of a midair collision, accidents caused by sloppy ground handling are what I fear the most. Often these are caused by poor training and a lack of attention by the pilot—or a combination of both. Airplanes are awkward on the ground: You have to watch your wings, your tail, your prop—and your prop wash.
