tow bar mount

So, last year I was the unfortunate witness of my hangar neighbor starting his Aerostar Festival with Jabiru engine while the towbar was still attached..

Needless to say, his wood prop was destroyed - and finding a suitable replacement was a challenge since most modern Festivals are apparently using larger Rotax engines now.

Since then, part of my -12iS checklist is to physically turn my head and observe my towbar in the baggage area. However, I'm starting to think that it'd be a cool idea to extend the Spar Pin switches circuit to a 3rd microswitch that could detect if the towbar wasn't mounted in some sort of plastic towbar holder clips like these. Meaning, both spar pins and the towbar would all need to be secured in order to crank the engine (or press the big red override button).

Anyone care to comment on pros/cons of this? I haven't investigated a mounting location yet (top of fuel tank? baggage floor? against baggage side wall/roll bar?), or how it could be [easily] accomplished with the carpet interior options.

Since the two spar-pin switches are just wired in series with each other, it would be simple to break that circuit and wire a pair of alligator clips, or similar, in the broken circuit that you clip to the tow bar to complete the circuit again.

I've found I only ever use my towbar to put the airplane back into the hangar. Once inside, I remove the towbar and lean it up against the wall. When I pull the airplane out, I just do it by hand. No chance of starting with the towbar attached.

I suggest that after your initial walk around for preflt that you do one more quick walk around before getting into the cockpit...that's what I do ever since I left a wheel chalk in place... you can do it in the opposite direction of the first one.

I leave a tow bar in the aircraft permantly because you never really know when you will need it. I hang the other one in the hangar and use it to pull the airplane in and out. after pulling the aircraft out, return the tow bar to the hangar. make it a routine. also, I have a new RV-10 Bogi-Bar to sell.