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How To Perform A Visual Pre-Flight Check On An Airplane

By: Luat Tran Van

Before staring the engine of an airplane it is necessary that the pilot in command takes some time to visually check the vehicle in order to be sure that everything is in order. Starting a flight without checking that things are working correctly, the plane's paperwork and that of its crew, passengers or cargo are in order and that all other administrative chores like migration control or customs (if applicable), flight plan presentation, etc. have been fulfilled could entail serious legal consequences. But besides the legal and formal aspects of flight preparation, there is one that is even more important, and that is the safety of the operation. It would be imprudent in extreme to go fly like when someone takes a car out of a garage and hits the road.

It is indispensable for one's own safety to check the aircraft thoroughly even before starting the engine, and that is the concept behind the visual pre-flight check. This task should be performed once all preventive maintenance - like, in its simplest expression, cleaning the ship - and administrative formalities have been fulfilled and completed. As its name indicates, this is an inspection that has to be done visually by walking clockwise - it is the convention - around the plane. The idea is that in this fashion, the procedure becomes a habit and so passing by some aspect or part of the plane becomes increasingly unlikely thus maximising flight safety. It is appropriate to remember that the best way to survive any emergency is by doing everything at your hand to avoid getting into such a situation. So, you will have to work following a certain path around the plane; if you would be able to look at it right from above, you would see yourself starting at the cockpit and walking around the aircraft in a clockwise fashion, starting at the door that leads directly to the pilot in command's seat. There will be some differences according to make and model because some planes have a door on the left side, while others have two or just one on the right.

So you go to the door nearest to the pilot's seat and begin by checking that the magneto key is off as well as the battery and avionics master keys. The airplane must be cold and dark, so to speak. You will then check the trim wheel, safety belts, the seats themselves, the instruments, the first aid kit and survival kits, airplane's papers, fire extinguisher, food and water if necessary, and any other required or desired piece of gear or equipment.
Once you finish with the cockpit and passenger cabin, you go outside. In the case of a fairly typical plane, like a Cessna C-152 you will start on the board (left, looking from the cockpit at the propeller) and you will inspect the back of the left side wing, the flaps and ailerons, then the tip of the wing, its front, the left landing gear, the left side of the engine, the propeller, then the right side of the engine cowl, right wing front and back, the back of the fuselage (starboard side), the tail, and then back to the starting point. This is the general idea on how to do this inspection with this fairly common airplane configuration. We will now see the whole process as applied to a PA-11, which is another fairly typical kind of plane and explain in detail each step (you can access the picture collection that explains visually this process by ooking at this article's footer or references). In the case of a Cub Special, you will start on the right - starboard side - because normally these planes have only one door on the right: there is a checklist that comes with the plane's manual but here we will describe what to do as we go.

So you open the door and first inspect the cabin. Your eyes should fix before anything else on the magneto key; it must be left in the OFF position. Then you verify that all components of the electrical system - if the plane has one, because not all PA-11s have it installed - are off, including COM, NAV and ADF radios. Turn then the trim wheel to the centered or takeoff position. You take out any kind of locking devices in place (a stick lock is commonly put in place after flying and storing the plane in order to avoid accidental movements in control surfaces), and if you are about to carry anything that is portable - such as a VHF portable radio, a hand held GPS, etc. you will have to check that these devices are configured properly and that you have batteries installed and a spare set, just in case. If you fly with prescription glasses, make sure that you have them as well as a spare set, and make sure that you will be able to find any and all of these spares during the flight. The same principles and checks apply to any other piece of equipment required for the flight, including maps, procedure charts, frequency tables, checklists, etc. Then make sure that there is nothing loose in the cockpit, including the screws with which instruments are attached to the panel, items located in the modest but nevertheless real cargo bay and so on.

Then look around to see if there are no obstacles around the plane and move all the surface controls; moving the rudder using the pedals may be difficult in these circumstances, but do so with the elevator, ailerons and flaps, if the plane comes with them. They should move smoothly, with no strange noises or friction, and in the intended direction; this seems odd but there have been cases in which mechanics just messed the command cables and connected them in an inverse fashion. It is unlikely but not impossible, so make sure! Check that there are sick bags for all occupants (two normally, but if your passenger carries a baby or toddler, make them three or even four; bags don't weight much, after all). Open the fuel valve and move the power level to idle. Then check that both seats have no spurious movement and tidily place both seat belts over the cushions. It is not only a matter of aesthetics but practicality: It will be easier to fasten the seat belts once both of you are sitting there. Lastly, check that control cables or wires have nothing that impedes their movement, and verify that they are correctly attached; I am referring to the brake and rudder pedals specifically. Place the wheel chocks and look under the airplane's belly and the right side wheel. This one should have the right air pressure and present to scratches or anything abnormal.Make sure that there are no stains or drops of fluid anywhere on the belly, the landing gear or on the tarmac; anything fluid should be treated as very suspicious.

Your next target should be the bolts that lock the main landing gear and the wing struts in place; needless to say, there should be no looseness, all nuts should be in place, and they should be clean. Then check the right wing struts, the command cable that goes to the right aileron and the pulley that is visible at the "armpit" where the main strut meets the wing. Of course, check the fabric covering the wing's intrados (its lower face or side); it should not have any puncture or cut. Now to go the wing tip and check that it is in good condition; wingtips are among the components that suffer punishment the most in taildraggers such as the PA-11, either by bumping into other planes while being stored in a hangar, or due to ground looping. At this point, grab the starboard wingtip with both your hands and shake the wing up and down a little. The whole airplane should move solidly, as one piece; if you feel any looseness then something important is amiss in the wing and of course, you should call a mechanic. Now move backwards, to the posterior section of the wing and check the state of the fabric on top of it (the extrados). Check the state of the aileron, the metallic horn to which the control cable should be well attached and the hinges that allow for movement up and down. These hinges should have a couple of little locks or locking rings that should be in place; if one is missing then the whole aileron may be blown away while in flight, with obvious consequences. See around you and check that no obstacles are present, and move the aileron up and down with your hands, noticing if there is any problem. If yours is a PA-11 with flaps, repeat the checking process for this additional surface.

Now you will find yourself at the root of the starboard wing, behind the cockpit and it is time to check the fuselage facets; this plane has a rectangular-section fuselage and so, you will have to see whether the top, bottom and starboard side facets are ok. Sometimes these planes used mostly in grass strips and bush flying conditions suffer punctures and other wounds due to loose stones or other objects that may fly as a consequence of - say - the action of the propeller. Remember that it is cheaper to repair a little hole in the fabric than a whole section of fuselage from which quite a bit of fabric could be ripped off in flight, plus, imagine what that could do against your own safety.
And so, we reach the horizontal stabiliser and the rudder. The checkout is similar in this case as in the wing: Start with the starboard side by looking at the fabric; particularly, look on the lower side of the stabiliser because there is the place of choice for cow dung, mud, insects and stones to gather and conspire against you; the whole thing should be clean. Then, test the tension of the struts that are up and down the horizontal stabiliser; they should be equally tense. Look at the hinges of the control surface in the same way as you did with the right aileron; move the surface up and down and see what happens. Now look at the rudder and repeat the process, and then pass to the left (board) side and do exactly the same.

Now look at the tail wheel and its associated mechanisms; there should be two steel cables

Article Source: http://www.articlemanual.com

You can find pictures explaining how to check an airplane at Andinia.com.



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