Robert M. Gary wrote:
On Aug 31, 3:00 pm, "Really-Old-Fart"
wrote:
In rec.aviation.piloting, on Fri 31 Aug 2007 11:29:55a, "Robert M. Gary"

wrote:
If you like to spend 30 minutes preflighting, reviewing the logs etc,
please consider booking the plane at 4pm and the instructor at 4:30.
That way the instructor can continue with ground instruction or flight
instruction in another airplane while you take your time to prefilght.
If the plane just got back, I figure it's airworthy enough for me and I
would just give it a quick preflight (fuel, oil, and a quick shake to see
if anything falls off).

I feel the same way but I don't discourage students who want to spend
30 minutes preflighting. If that is what they need to feel safe in the
airplane I don't rush them, I'd just like to not be in limbo during it
such that I can't develop any billable hours.

-Robert

I take an alternative approach. I consider preflight one of the prime
activities that come under the heading of a developed habit pattern. For
this reason I prefer students to start from the gitgo to consider the
preflight as an activity to be performed with a degree of consistancy
rather than an activity that is performed one way one time and another
way at other times. In other words, I don't like to see students using
an abbreviated form of a preflight inspection.
It doesn't take all that long to do a normal preflight if done correctly
as opposed to some form of abbreviated preflight on an airplane that has
just returned from a flight.
The message I am aiming at in encouraging complete preflights is a
simple one. I want a new student to develop a habit pattern immediately
that REGARDLESS of the fact that an airplane might have just been flown
and returned and parked safely, that airplane is now transitioning from
one pilot to another pilot and the RESPONSIBILITY for the condition of
that airplane is now the responsibility of the next pilot to fly that
airplane.
The point here is that I don't want the pilots I train to EVER....and I
repeat it again...EVER, accept the responsibility for the safety of the
aircraft they are about to fly based on the last pilot's preflight and
the fact that the airplane has returned safely and parked.
If nothing else, something that went unnoticed during the last landing
and taxi in just might have caused damage to the point where it's ready
to fail.
Naturally, the immediate condition of the airplane is the obvious reason
I stress complete preflights.

The other less obvious reason is that all important mental conditioning
and habit pattern development we as instructors must impart to every
student we teach to fly; that as a pilot in command, you only get ONE
chance to preflight an aircraft before you take off in it. After
takeoff, it's way too late is anything is wrong.
It is your absolute and completely individual responsibility to make
absolutely certain that you personally have made the decision that the
aircraft is safe to fly based on your OWN observation.
When it comes to preflight, nothing should be assumed about the
condition of an aircraft. Proper preflight calls for a personal
inspection and that means a NORMAL preflight.
Keep in mind this is the way I do things personally and the procedures I
teach. I am aware that there might be other instructors who don't
approach this issue the way I do.


--
Dudley Henriques