![]() ![]() Others can be opened up from both sides, allowing easy access and inspection. Meanwhile, some airplanes’ cowlings aren’t designed for easy pre-flight inspections and must be removed to get a close look at the engine compartment. Tipping those ailerons up to their full wing-down position and allowing any water to drain out is a good idea. Obviously, extra weight isn’t something we want to carry aloft, nor does it do anything for the control surface’s balance. Many Bonanzas, for example, can collect water in the ailerons during even moderate rain. Some aircraft types demand different procedures and emphases when performing a pre-flight inspection. At least a glance at the engine cowling(s) is also appropriate, to see if there are any streaks left by leaking oil or other fluids. Even so, we rarely pass up an opportunity to check the fuel tanks for quantity and the cap’s security, or check the engine oil level. When did the airplane last fly? If we just landed it 10 minutes ago, we don’t need to do an extensive pre-flight unless we encountered a problem. In between, we’re considering the answers to various questions. When we do, we’re looking for wheel chocks the lineman put down when we weren’t looking, the towbar we left attached to the nosewheel, errant luggage, lost tools and other FOD, plus other loose items, especially anything behind the airplane likely to get blown somewhere after engine start. It also ends in a similar fashion: We like to finish the walk-around by stepping back several feet, so we can see all of the airplane. How does it look? Are all the big parts attached? Are the tires properly inflated? Is there obvious damage, ice and snow, or bird droppings? Are the windows clean and unobstructed? Any fluids on the ground obviously resulting from a leak? In our mind, the pre-flight inspection begins as we’re walking to the airplane. What about the bugs on the windshield?Īll these concerns and considerations should be going through your mind while munching a candy bar in the pilot lounge before climbing back aboard to continue your trip. Next, ask yourself, “How was the airplane performing before I landed?” Was the oil pressure lower than normal? Any vibrations? Any controls seem to bind? How did the tires and landing gear fare on that last landing? If it registered on the earthquake scale, maybe now’s also a good time to double-check the security of inspection panels or compartment doors. Yes, check the oil yes, check the fuel tanks, and sump them to ensure there’s no water or debris, and the correct fuel was added. If you’re getting ready to launch again after a fuel stop, there’s no real need to do the full walk-around. Same thing for an airplane based at a gravel or turf strip: I’d want to pay close attention to the prop, the brakes and landing gear, the tires and the underside of the airplane. For example, if you know it burns a quart of oil every four hours, and you just landed after a three-hour flight, you know you’ll probably need to add a quart before the next one. Knowing the airplane’s operational history helps in other ways, too. Another answer involves our familiarity with the airplane: When did it fly last? How has it been stored? If outside, what’s the weather been like since it last flew? The trick is knowing how close a look the aircraft really needs One answer is experience, but that’s not something all of us have in abundance. One example is when the airplane is just out of the maintenance shop. On the other side of the coin, you may want to go far beyond the handbook’s recommendations. Sometimes, that’s necessary and appropriate, especially when we’re unfamiliar with the airplane, it’s a rental and/or we find something on a cursory examination making us want to dive down deeper into determining whether the airplane really is airworthy. How to know the difference?Īircraft manufacturers would have us perform a recommended preflight inspection before every flight. Of course, it refers to sharply abbreviating the pre-flight inspection and introduces a rather cavalier attitude about ensuring the airplane is ready for flight.īut there often are times when we don’t need to perform the inspection detailed in the handbook, and other times we need to go way beyond it. Kick the tires and light the fires” is one of the oldest sayings in aviation. ![]()
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