Purdue University Aviation Creates Safety Guard For Piper Archer Aircraft

Purdue University’s fleet of 18 Piper Archer aircraft are now outfitted with magneto safety guards, ensuring engines and propellers are turned off during inspections and maintenance, the university says. The device was created by the university’s Michael Davis and Jon Ziulkowski and is available for licensing. “The guard is a clip that fits over the magneto switch at the top of the flight deck only when it is turned off. While the clip is in place, the engine cannot be powered on; when the engine is on, the clip cannot be placed over the switch. A footlong “remove before flight” ribbon attached to the clip provides a visual indication to people outside the flight deck that the clip is in place,” says Ziulkowski, a senior lecturer and Part 141 flight operations quality assessment manager at Purdue.