Boarding with engines running

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
Is it safe/advisable to board a small single- or twin-engined aircraft
while
the prop(s) and engine(s) are turning? I'm just wondering if this is
feasible
if you just have someone getting on or getting off (with the pilot being
in
the aircraft the whole time).

On a related note, how long can you safely leave an aircraft (engines off)
with just the parking brake set, and when do you normally put chocks under
the
wheels?


My personal rule (for my Cherokee 180) is to not have passengers getting on
or off while the prop is spinning, in my view the risk isn't worth the extra
few seconds to stop/restart the engine. A spinning prop cannot be quickly
stopped. Further, the door on my Cherokee is difficult to hold open, while
maneuvering yourself to get in or out, even with the engine at idle.

Whenever this topic arises, I have a flashback to a local news story I saw
about 25(?) years ago in St. Louis. Passengers were exiting a small
twin-engine commercial prop plane, at night, down the fold-out stairs on the
left side of the airplane. In those days, to save time, the practice was to
stop only the left engine and then carefully guide the passengers away from
the plane, towards the building. One of the passengers was a young girl,
about 6-8 years old, wearing a hat. In the blink of an eye, her hat blew
off her head, went under the plane towards the running engine, and she ran
after it. She was killed.

I only use the parking brake long enough to tie down, or place the chocks,
then I release the brake.