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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 propeller strike caused by a faulty ignition switch in an older aircraft highlights the critical importance of treating all propellers as "hot" and ensuring magneto grounding.
  • Pilots should perform a brief magneto check (off to both) at idle before shutdown and verify the ignition key cannot be removed in any "on" position, especially in elderly general aviation airplanes.
  • The article also fondly remembers Jim Brown, the former owner of Hartzell Propeller, celebrating his dedication to aviation, quality manufacturing, and the welfare of his employees.
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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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