Definition
A maintenance inspection procedure used on propellers in which the technician firmly grasps the propeller blade near its tip and attempts to move it back and forth, fore and aft, and side to side to check for excessive looseness, play, or wear in the blade retention bearings, hub, or other internal components.
Plain English
A hands-on check where a mechanic holds the tip of a propeller blade and tries to wiggle it. Any unusual movement points to worn or loose parts inside the propeller hub.
Context Anchor
Seen during inspection of older or fabric-covered aircraft, especially when checking the condition of wings, tail surfaces, or other covered areas.
Why Pilots Care
Detects insecure propeller mounting that could lead to vibration, blade separation, or loss of engine power in flight.
Intuition Check
A grab test is not about grabbing the flight controls. It is a fabric-condition check made by physically pulling on the aircraft covering.
Example Sentence 1
During the annual inspection, the mechanic performed a grab test on each propeller blade and found no excessive play in the hub.
Example Sentence 2
Any movement felt during the grab test requires further inspection of the hub bolts.