DO YOUR CONTOL CHECKS!

A Positive Control Check is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

What is required is a Critical Assembly Check, of which the PCC may form a
part.

It is not possible to do a CAC unless the way the particular glider is
rigged is understood, and there may be variations between different versions
of the same type of glider, e.g. the elevator control connection on the
ASK21.

I know of several cases where gliders have flown mis-rigged and got away
with it, e.g.:
K13 with the drag spar pins not in safety.
K21 with the drag spar pins missing.
K13 with the aileron and brake safety pins missing (discovered when one
aileron disconnected itself while flying).
ASW20 with the elevator bolt missing.
ASW24 with the elevator bolt missing.

All these things happened to people I know, none of them would have been
found by a PCC, indeed in many cases a PCC was done.

Of course, there have been many cases where the pilot did not get away with
it.

I also know one club with several K23s, where the elevator control is
automatic when the tailplane is rigged. After PCCs were made compulsory at
that club, at the subsequent annual inspection damage was found to several
elevators almost certainly caused by too much force during the PCC.

I am sure the method of PCC recommended by Jim Vincent is correct, (posting
5th April 04.53 above), and his presentation
http://www.mymedtrans.com/personal.htm looks ideal to me. However this is
only part of a Critical Assembly Check, and if that is done properly the PCC
is not the most important part.

I am sure that a PCC should be done with the pilot at the control surfaces,
and the helper at the cockpit controls.

When Hotelier connections were first used it was not considered necessary
to use safety pins, indeed some were provided with check holes so small that
the use of pins was not possible.

It was subsequently found that it was possible for Hoteliers to come undone
UNDER NORMAL FLIGHT LOADS, and EVEN WHEN CORRECTLY RIGGED. This was why
the use of locking wire, pins or some other safety device was made
compulsory, and those connectors manufactured with small holes had to have
them drilled larger.

W.J. (Bill) Dean (U.K.).
Remove "ic" to reply.


"Chris Nicholas" wrote in message
...

Mark James Boyd wrote: [snip]
" . . . during a PCC a bellcrank broke and this was caused by the pressure
exerted by the "helper."
Nice to have this happen on the ground, and I can't
think of how this could have been detected without
a PCC. So now I think a PCC is useful too..."

Having a helper exert this much force is good???

I retain my renegade attitude to PCC's - they may be suitable for some
things if done right (and breaking gliders is not doing it right in my
book - the above is not an isolated example) but other checks are far
more useful, and less damaging, for some gliders, e.g. my Ka6E.

Chris N.