Most airplanes don’t have rear view mirrors. But that doesn’t mean that you should forget what’s behind you. It’s always worth taking a second to consider where the rear of the airplane is pointed. This applies not only when the propeller is spinning and the airplane is static, but also when you’re taxiing around the airport.
It is not uncommon for small pebbles and debris to find their way to the tarmac. This debris is light enough that it can be picked up by the airflow created by engines, particularly if the power is high, but it’s heavy enough that it can damage the paint or even put dings in the fuselage of an airplane or the exterior of a car. And if the blast is strong enough, the flying fragments could injure people who are in the line of fire.
