Help - How to Fly - Pre-Flight Inspections

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How to Fly - Preflight Inspections

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Getting Started

How to Fly an a/craft

- - Preflight Checks

- - Controlling

- - Taxying

- - Take off & Climb

- - Straight & Level

- - Join the circuit

- - Landing

- - The Slip

- - Stalls

Prior to beginnng any aircraft operations, it is necessary to undertake a pre-flight check of the aircraft. Every aircraft should be provided with a checklist. Notwithstanding the importance of thoroughly checking the aircraft prior to each flight, it is all too common to see pilots walking round 'going through the motions' but seeing nothing. Recently a pilot did a preflight walk round but still tried to take off with a large water container tied to each wing!

There is a standard procedure for checking the aircraft, starting at the left wingtip and moving around clockwise.

Included below is a typical checklist. This one is used by Vista Aviation for one of their Cessna 172s.

Please note that your WITS Instructor will provide you with a full brief in terms of how to conduct these checks for the specific model of aircraft that you will be training on.

PREFLIGHT CHECK LIST CESSNA C – 172L

1. Aircraft Documents -CK.
2. Weather - Suitable.
3. Baggage - Weighed, stowed, secured.
4. Weight and C.G. - CK.
5. Navigation - Planned.
6. Charts and Navaids -CK.
7. Performance Determined
8. VOR Log (IFR) - CK.

INTERIOR

1. Hobbs / Tach time - CK.
2. P.O.H. - On board.
3. Control Lock - Remove.
4. Avionics - Off.
5. Electrical Switches - Off.
7. Carb Heat - Cold.
8. Mixture - I.C.O.
9. Master Switch -On/Call.
10. Fuel Quantity - CK.
11. Lights (Night) - CK.
12. Flaps - Down / CK.
13. Master Switch - Off.
14. Flight Controls - CK.
15. Fuel Selector - Both.
16. Trim - Neutral.
17. Windows - CK Clean.

EXTERIOR

AS PER MANUAL

BEFORE START

1. Preflight - Complete.
2. Passenger Briefing - Done.
3. Cabin Doors - Closed .
4. Seats - Adjusted / Locked.
5. Belts / Harnesses- Secure
6. Circuit Breakers - CK In.
7. All Switches - Off.
8. Brakes - Set and Test.

START

1. Mixture - Rich.
2. Throttle - Open 1/2".
3. Master Switch - On / Call.
4. Flaps - UP.
5. Beacon - On.
6. Nav. Lights - As Req.
7. Prop Area - Clear / Call.
8. Starter - Engage.
9. Throttle - 700 RPM.
10. Oil Pressure - CK.
11. Mixture - Lean for Taxi.

PRE - TAXI

1. Radios - On / Set.
2. Transponder – Sby/1200
3. Radio Calls - As Req.
4. Taxi Area - Clear.
5. Throttle - Apply Smoothly.
6. Brakes - CK.

TAXI

Controls - Position for wind

Instruments - Ck on taxi

RUN - UP

1. Brakes - Set.
2. Fuel Selector - Both.
3. Mixture - Rich.
4. Throttle - 1700 RPM.
5. Magnetos

Max Drop - 125

Max Diff - 50

6. Carb Heat - CK.
7. Engine Instruments - CK.
8. Suction Gauge - CK.
9. Ammeter - CK.
10. Throttle - 1000 RPM.

BEFORE TAKEOFF

1. Flight Instruments - Set.
2. Radios / Avionics - Set.
3. Engine Gauges - CK.
4. Mixture - Set.
5. Carb Heat - Off.
6. Belts / Harnesses - CK.
7. Flaps - As Req.
8. Trim - Set for takeoff.
9. Controls - CK.
10. Doors / Windows – Latch.
11. Brakes - Recheck.

CROSSING HOLD LINE

Transponder - Altitude
Strobes - On.

TAKEOFF

Normal Vr - 60 MPH
Short / Soft - Per Manual

CLIMB

Vx - 68 MPH
Vy - 80 MPH
Cruise Climb - 85 MPH.

CRUISE

1. Power - Per Manual.
2. Trim - Adjust.
3. Mixture - Set.
4. Landing Light - Off.
5. Engine Instruments - CK.
6. Flight Instruments - Set.

PRE - DESCENT

1. Fuel Selector - Both.
2. Power - As Req.
3. Mixture - Enrichen.
4. Carb Heat - As Req.
5. Flight Instruments - Set.
6. Engine Gauges - Monitor.

45 ENTRY / DOWNWIND CK

Fuel Selector - Both.
Mixture - Full Rich.
Throttle - As Req(100MPH).
Landing Lts / Strobes-As Req.
Ignition - Both
Master Switch - On.
Primer - Locked.
Belts / Harnesses - CK.

LANDING

Normal, Short, and Soft field
As per manual.
Normal Final - 70 MPH.

ON FINAL

G. U. M.P.S.
GUMPS, HAZEL etc are examples of the profusion of aide memoirs beloved of flight instructors. A lot of students find it harder to remember these rather than the actual procedure

AFTER LANDING

1. Throttle - 1000 RPM.
2. Mixture - Lean for Taxi.
3. Carb Heat - Cold.
4. Flaps - Up.
5. Trim - Neutral.
6. Landing / Strobes - As Req.
7. Transponder – Off/1200
8. Unnecessary Avionics - Off.
9. Radio Calls - As Req.

SHUTDOWN / SECURING

1. Avionics / Electrical - Off.
2. Throttle - idle
3. P-lead - CK
4. Mixture - I.C.O.
5. Ignition - Off / Key on dash.
6. Master - Off.
7. All Switches - Off.
8. Windows - Close / Latch.
9. Seatbelts - Stow.
10. Control Lock - Install.
11. Hobbs / Tach / Name Record
12. Aircraft – Properly Secure.
13. Discrepancies Write Up.

V - SPEEDS C – 172L

Vso 52 MPH

Vs 59 MPH

Vr 60 MPH

Vx 68 MPH

Vy 80 MPH

Va (2300 #) 122 MPH

Vfe 100 MPH

Vno 140 MPH

Vne 174 MPH

Final Approach 70 MPH

Final (short field) 68 MPH

Best Glide 80 MPH

notes

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

ENGINE FAILURES

TAKEOFF RUN

1. Throttle - Idle.
2. Brakes - Apply.
3. Wing Flaps - Retract.
4. Mixture - I.C.O..
5. Ignition - Off.
6. Master Switch - Off.

AFTER TAKEOFF

1. Airspeed - 75 MPH.
2. Mixture - I.C.O..
3. Fuel Selector - Off.
4. Ignition Switch - Off.
5. Wing Flaps - As Req.
6. Master Switch - Off.

DURING FLIGHT

1. Airspeed - 75 MPH.
2. Carb Heat - ON.
3. Primer - Locked.
4. Fuel Selector - Both.
5. Mixture - Rich.
6. Ignition Switch - Both.

FORCED LANDINGS

WITHOUT POWER

1. Airspeed
75 MPH (flaps up)
70 MPH (flaps dn)
2. Mixture - I.C.O..
3. Fuel Selector - Off.
4. Ignition Switch - Off.
5. Wing Flaps - As req.
6. Master Switch - Off.
7. Doors - Unlatch.
8. Touchdown - Tail Low.
9. Brakes - Apply Heavily.

FORCED LANDINGS

WITH POWER

1. Airspeed - 75 MPH.
2. Wing Flaps - 20 Deg.
3. Field - Overfly/Inspect Retract Flaps at safe altitude and airspeed.
4. Avionics/ Electrical - Off.
5. Wing Flaps - 40 º (final)
6. Airspeed - 70 MPH.
7. Master Switch - Off.
8. Doors - Unlatch.
9. Touchdown - Tail Low.
10. Ignition Switch - Off.
11. Brakes - Apply Heavily.

DITCHING

1. Radio-Transmit Mayday.
2. Heavy Objects Secure/Toss
3. Approach - Into High Winds. Parallel to Swells in light winds.
4. Wing Flaps - 40 Deg.
5. Power-300’/min 75 MPH
6. Doors - Unlatch.
7. Touchdown - Level attitude @ 300’/min.
8. Face - Cushion at Impact.
9. Aircraft - Evacuate. Flood Cabin if necessary.
10. Life Vests / Rafts Inflate.

FIRES

DURING START

1. Cranking - Continue. If Engine Starts
2. Power - 1700 RPM (few min)
3. Engine - Shutdown Inspect for damage. If Engine Fails to Start
4. Cranking - Continue.
5. Fire Extinguisher Obtain.
6. Engine - SECURE.

A. Master - Off.
B. Ignition - Off.
C. Fuel Selector - Off.

7. Fire - Extinguish.
8. Fire Damage - Inspect.

ENGINE FIRE IN FLIGHT

1. Mixture - I.C.O..
2. Fuel Selector - Off.
3. Master Switch - Off.
4. Cabin Heat and Air - Off. (except wing root vents)
5. Airspeed - 100 MPH. (faster if needed)
6. Forced Landing Execute.

ELECTRICAL FIRE IN FLIGHT

1. Master Switch - Off.
2. All Other Switches - Off. (except ignition switch)
3. All Vents - Closed.
4. Fire Extinguisher Activate.
5. Cabin - Ventilate. If fire appears Out.
6. Master Switch - On.
7. Circuit Breakers - Check for faulty circuit don’t reset.
8. Electrical Switches - On one at a time with delay until short circuit is localized.
9. Vents - Open as required.

CABIN FIRE

1. Master Switch - Off.
2. Vents - Close.
3. Fire Extinguisher - Activate.
4. Cabin - Ventilate.
5. Land Aircraft as soon as possible to inspect for damage.

WING FIRE

1. Nav Lights - Off.
2. Strobes - Off.
3. Pitot Heat - Off.
4. Side slip away from flames.

LANDING WITH A FLAT MAIN TIRE

1. Wing Flaps - As desired.
2. Approach - Normal.
3. Touchdown - Good tire 4. first.

ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS

OVER-VOLTAGE LIGHT ON

1. Master Switch - Off (both sides).
2. Master Switch - On.
3. Over Voltage Light - Off. If over voltage light remains on.
4. Flight - Terminate as soon as practical.

AMMETER SHOWS DISCHARGE

1. Alternator - Off.
2. Electrical Load - Reduce.
3. Flight - Terminate as soon as practical.

SPIN RECOVERY

1. Power - Idle.
2. Ailerons - Neutral.
3. Rudder - Opposite.
4. Elevator - Forward.
5. Recover from dive.

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