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The Man Who Saved the Iconic Hartzell Propeller Company

Memories of the manufacturer revolve around a wonderful man, the late Jim Brown.

It’s difficult to describe how much the late Jim Brown loved the Hartzell Propeller Company and its people. [Stephen Yeates]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A fatal accident highlights the critical danger of worn ignition switches in older general aviation aircraft, where keys can be removed in any position, potentially leading to unexpected propeller starts.
  • Pilots are urged to perform pre-shutdown magneto checks (briefly turning the switch to "off" then "both") and verify that the ignition key cannot be removed in "on" positions to ensure proper magneto grounding and switch integrity.
  • The article also serves as a tribute to Jim Brown, the late owner of Hartzell Propeller Company, remembered for his exceptional leadership, dedication to employees, and passion for aviation.
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Do you remember briefly turning the magneto switch to the “off” position and back to “both” before shutting down with the mixture control? I guess I knew why sometime in the past, but truthfully I’d forgotten about it. And I can’t remember testing any applicants, in years as an examiner, who did it.

But recently I read a National Transportation Safety Board report about a fatal accident involving a 42-year-old Cessna 182 parked on a ramp in Cleveland, Tennessee. What happened is important, I think, because so many of us fly elderly GA airplanes with key-style ignition switches that may be faulty and not know it.

Martha Lunken

Martha Lunken is a lifelong pilot, former FAA inspector and defrocked pilot examiner. She flies a Cessna 180 and anything with a tailwheel, from Cubs to DC-3s.

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