The International Cessna 170 Association

I wasn't watching what I was doing last night and cracked my head on the trailing edge of the flap so hard I was seeing little green martians. Man, good thing I was wearing my ball cap, that could be dangerous. Ouch!

You aren't the first or the last. We have a past president of the association that posted a selfie of his "FTE diamond plate tattoo" about 10 years ago. I installed the McFarlane trailing edge stiffeners to prevent a future occurrence. It must have worked for him.

Yeah, I could see if you weren't wearing a cap it could cut you pretty good.

All serious Cessna pilots havs diamond scars on their forehead.

The top of my skull is permanently dented where the bottom of the aileron bellcrank bolt grazed the top of my head when I was 14 or 15.

I've found that the one thing that guarantees that I'll whack my head into the flap is wearing a ball cap!

Well I'm not the past president that did the selfie but I cut a V trench in the top of my head and that is what they make "NOODLES" for! It is not for the kids to play with it is to protect pilots from hurting themselves!!!!!!! Go the the kid store and buy one that matches the color or really shows up. Get a razor knife and cut a slit the entire length and place it on the trailing edge of the flap. They cover almost the entire length and will do wonders for &^^%$%ass pilots that don't look where they are going or have something else on their mind. And then-- there are sometimes you need one on the strut.

Ron

Here at Boeing head injuries are one of the big items causing loss of work. As a result everyone now has to were a bump cap anytime they are in the "shadow of the aircraft. My group maintains all of the little airplanes the Cessna C-206 the Caravan and until recently the Helio Courier (it was donated to a trade school). The Two T-38's Three T-33's and three PT6 powered Lancairs. However we are under the same Umbrella requirement that the Big airplane guy's are and which requires Safety Glasses any time we are in the Hangar and Bump Caps when in the shadow of the airplane. The bump caps are really nothing more than Baseball caps with a plastic liner on the inside. We are allowed to put the liners in any type of cap we like so that you will now see Jungle Bush hats, cowboy hats etc. on the flight line. My manager wears one of his Marine Daughters Jungle "Covers" She is currently in Afghanistan.
Since starting to wear the bump base ball caps I have noticed an increase in the number of times I hit my head on something under the airplane including the 206 lift struts. However It usually does not lead to a head injury it just causes a strained neck.
Jim

http://www.target.com/p/novelty-ride-on ... A-14776417

Cheap long foam tubes. Slit it lengthwise with a razor and put over your flaps when not in motion.
I started doing this when a stranger brained himself on my flaps at a fly-in. If you cut them into 3 foot lengths, they fit in the baggage compartment nicely.

Foam insulation for water piping sold at Home Depot comes in various diameters in long tubes like the kid's "noodles" and already has the slit cut in it.

wingnut wrote:"............We have a past president of the association that posted a selfie of his "FTE diamond plate tattoo" about 10 years ago. I installed the McFarlane trailing edge stiffeners (on the flaps) to prevent a future occurrence. It must have worked for him.

Yes Del, those trailing edge bulbs on the flaps work great! It still hurts when you spin around into them but at least you don't get cut. For some reason I never run into the aileron trailing edges.

I am 6'-2" (or used to be before old age shrinking). I work in a power plant where hard hats are mandatory. I have whacked my head several times due to the stupid visor on the hat and complained to my boss (who is significantly under 6' tall). I get the strained neck often from the whacks. Have had this issue my entire career - most industrial facilities are not designed for the 6'-4" hard hat height.

I specifically bought my 59 straight tail because I can walk under the entire wing without getting the diamond forehead. It might be the only advantage the tri-gear has over the taildragger.