Checklist exchange

Responding to comments about the usefulness/uselessness of calling "Clear
prop," before cranking, Barney Rubble wrote
Quite often on the ramp at my home field a nearby pilot will call "All
clear" in response to my "clear", as he can see the area directly in front
of and underneath the nose. ...

I would have appreciated a negative response the three of four times I've
overlooked nose wheel chocks and had to shut down to remove them. I know
someone saw me do this at least once.

Barney Rubble wrote:
Oh
and take the headset off or uncover one ear, just in case someone is
shouting something at you (like don't start, there's a kid playing with the
prop).

I don't even put the headset on until after start. I figure my ears can
take a few seconds of engine noise, and it lets me hear things I might
need to hear - like different engine sounds, or somebody shouting
something at me before I start.

.... Alan

--
Alan Gerber
PP-ASEL
gerber AT panix DOT com

"Andrey Serbinenko" wrote in message
...

Everybody's using checklists.

.....snip....

http://www.dauntless-soft.com/PRODUC...HandlingNotes/

Just about every GA checklist you might want and all free.

HTH,
Kevin


=============================

Great Thread Guys-

"CLEAR the PROP" is a call I've had drilled into me from my first
flight... its one of those things that, ok, maybe its not the 'coolest'
thing in the world (in the James Bond sense of the word), and although
its probably completely and obviously worthless 99% of the time (I've
gotten odd looks from Pax calling clear out the window at 9:00pm on a
completely deserted tarmac before)... I figure if only once in my
entire pilot life my 'clear prop' habit comes in useful (either
convenience or safety)... anyone, then its worth the extra few seconds
during each startup.

As for Checklists...

Frankly, I've fallen for the "flow-check" mentality. I think a huge
part of this for me is the fact that I own (and exclusively fly) my
ship... so I know her inside out. I take great pains to do everything
identically each flight... I still use checklists for engine start,
and I have them on the yoke for emergencies, but for general flying
(more explicitly, for engine start, pre-takeoff, post-takeoff, cruise,
pre-landing and post-landing (cleanup), I have a VERY explicit litteral
"flow" that I run my eyes across the panel and check everything in my
path.

My Pre flight check - this is entirely from memory, visualizing my
approach and walk around the plane.

PA-28-140

In the cockpit:

Key - above Panel.
Pilot Window - Open
Control Lock - Release
Master Switch - On
Pitot Heat - On
Nav Lights - On
Landing Light - On
Beacon - On
Flaps - Down
Fuel - note gauges
Sump strainer and Oil Towel - Grab

Walkaround (Start from door):

Beacon - Check
Tail Nav Light - Check
Right Wing Nav light - Check
(swing wide in front of aircraft)
Landing Light - Check
"Macro Fuselage Check" (is there any obvious asymmetry?)
Left Wing Light - Check
Pitot Heat - check (at this point, the Pitot-Static Fin should be
lukewarm to the touch)
Stall Warning - Check (Stall light should illuminate on panel when
switch flipped)

Walk to pilot Window, reach arm in Cockpit:
All switches off (starting inside and working out, so master switch is
last)

Back to Preflight:
Left Wheel Chalk
Left Wheel Brake Pad/Rotor
Left Wheel hoses
Left Wing Tiedown
Left Fuel Vent
Left Fuel Sump check
Left Fuel Tank - Visual open and inspect... consistent with gauge
reading?
Left Wingtip - Undamaged
Left wing skin (put eye at an oblique angle to the wing and move my
head 360 degrees around the airfoil)
Left Airleron counterweight - Present and firm
Left Airleron Travel - free and correct ( Does the yoke move correctly?
any binding?)
Left Airleron Hinge outer - pin present
Left Airleron Hinge inner - pin present
Left Airleron Control Linkage - Firm, pin present
Left Flap Hinge All Bolts Present
Left Flap, pressure test, outer. middle, inner(firm push downward on
flap, noting any looseness)
left flap, control linkage, firm and pinned
3 antenna present
Anti-Servo Hinges, 1,2,3,4, pins present
Stabilator/ anti-servo tab Travel, free and correct (stand on right
side of stabalator, view yoke through open door)
Rudder - High Hinge - Present
Rudder - Gap and hinge look nominal
Fuselage skin - Check (again, oblique angle, 360 degrees around the
entire fuselage noting any inconsistancies)
Stabilator rigging/anti-servo - Everything connected, nothing binding
Transponder Antenna Fin - Present
Rear Tiedown - untied
Right Flap, control Linkage firm and pinned
Right Flap, Pressure Test, inner, middle, outer
Right Flap Hinge - All Bolts Present
Right Airleron Control Linkage - Firm and Pin Present
Right Airleron Hinges, inner, outer - pin present
Right Airleron Counterweight - present and secure
Right Airleron motion, free and correct
Right Wing Skin - unblemished
Right Fuel Tank Level - Consistent with panel reading
Right wheel chalk/tiedown removed
Right wheel brake/pads
Right wheel linkages
Right Tank Vent
Right Tank Sump.
Open Right Cowling
Oil Level
Vacuum pump - inspect
Steering Linkages - inspect
Exhaust - Grab and yank
Fore-Cowling clear (no birdies)
Cowing Baffle - correct shape, condition
Close right cowling making sure Baffling is laying correctly.
Check cowling latches, rear - fore.
Prop
Spinner
Alternator Belt
Nose - No birdies
Intake
Front Strut - grab prop and compress
Front gear
Open Left Cowling
Brake Fluid Level
Check General Engine Condition
CHT/EGT Sensors
Left Baffling
Close Left Cowling (Assuring correct Baffling position)
Nose Fuel Sump.
Verbally Declare "I declare this aircraft is Airworthy and ready to
fly" (This is a tremendously important to me personally, if admittedly
somewhat pointlessly symbolic)

-

The whole idea behind all of this is that each action flows into the
action before and the action after it, and that they're associated with
eachother so that I don't forget anything...

I know it would give me fits flying any aircraft other than my own
particular bird... but hey, I down own my own plane to go flying other
aircraft, you know? (and I'm not rich enough to upgrade any time soon

Anyways - For what its worth, of course.
-Scott
On Jan 20, 12:12 am, "KevinBlack" wrote:
"Andrey Serbinenko" wrote in et...



Everybody's using checklists.....snip....

http://www.dauntless-soft.com/PRODUC...HandlingNotes/

Just about every GA checklist you might want and all free.

HTH,
Kevin

=============================

On the ground, if you let the pitot heat run very long, the
probe will over heat [I've seen a lot that looked like a
motorcycle exhaust (blue)] and if you touch it you'll raise
blisters. Turn it on and check the ammeter or voltmeter for
a drop, after a few seconds ON, turn the pitot heat OFF
before you leave the cabin to begin the walk around. It
will be warm then.
If you want to see a real mess, turn it on with the pitot
cover in place, if it is a plastic cover, it will melt.



"EridanMan" wrote in message
ups.com...
| Great Thread Guys-
|
| "CLEAR the PROP" is a call I've had drilled into me from
my first
| flight... its one of those things that, ok, maybe its not
the 'coolest'
| thing in the world (in the James Bond sense of the word),
and although
| its probably completely and obviously worthless 99% of the
time (I've
| gotten odd looks from Pax calling clear out the window at
9:00pm on a
| completely deserted tarmac before)... I figure if only
once in my
| entire pilot life my 'clear prop' habit comes in useful
(either
| convenience or safety)... anyone, then its worth the extra
few seconds
| during each startup.
|
| As for Checklists...
|
| Frankly, I've fallen for the "flow-check" mentality. I
think a huge
| part of this for me is the fact that I own (and
exclusively fly) my
| ship... so I know her inside out. I take great pains to
do everything
| identically each flight... I still use checklists for
engine start,
| and I have them on the yoke for emergencies, but for
general flying
| (more explicitly, for engine start, pre-takeoff,
post-takeoff, cruise,
| pre-landing and post-landing (cleanup), I have a VERY
explicit litteral
| "flow" that I run my eyes across the panel and check
everything in my
| path.
|
| My Pre flight check - this is entirely from memory,
visualizing my
| approach and walk around the plane.
|
| PA-28-140
|
| In the cockpit:
|
| Key - above Panel.
| Pilot Window - Open
| Control Lock - Release
| Master Switch - On
| Pitot Heat - On
| Nav Lights - On
| Landing Light - On
| Beacon - On
| Flaps - Down
| Fuel - note gauges
| Sump strainer and Oil Towel - Grab
|
| Walkaround (Start from door):
|
| Beacon - Check
| Tail Nav Light - Check
| Right Wing Nav light - Check
| (swing wide in front of aircraft)
| Landing Light - Check
| "Macro Fuselage Check" (is there any obvious asymmetry?)
| Left Wing Light - Check
| Pitot Heat - check (at this point, the Pitot-Static Fin
should be
| lukewarm to the touch)
| Stall Warning - Check (Stall light should illuminate on
panel when
| switch flipped)
|
| Walk to pilot Window, reach arm in Cockpit:
| All switches off (starting inside and working out, so
master switch is
| last)
|
| Back to Preflight:
| Left Wheel Chalk
| Left Wheel Brake Pad/Rotor
| Left Wheel hoses
| Left Wing Tiedown
| Left Fuel Vent
| Left Fuel Sump check
| Left Fuel Tank - Visual open and inspect... consistent
with gauge
| reading?
| Left Wingtip - Undamaged
| Left wing skin (put eye at an oblique angle to the wing
and move my
| head 360 degrees around the airfoil)
| Left Airleron counterweight - Present and firm
| Left Airleron Travel - free and correct ( Does the yoke
move correctly?
| any binding?)
| Left Airleron Hinge outer - pin present
| Left Airleron Hinge inner - pin present
| Left Airleron Control Linkage - Firm, pin present
| Left Flap Hinge All Bolts Present
| Left Flap, pressure test, outer. middle, inner(firm push
downward on
| flap, noting any looseness)
| left flap, control linkage, firm and pinned
| 3 antenna present
| Anti-Servo Hinges, 1,2,3,4, pins present
| Stabilator/ anti-servo tab Travel, free and correct (stand
on right
| side of stabalator, view yoke through open door)
| Rudder - High Hinge - Present
| Rudder - Gap and hinge look nominal
| Fuselage skin - Check (again, oblique angle, 360 degrees
around the
| entire fuselage noting any inconsistancies)
| Stabilator rigging/anti-servo - Everything connected,
nothing binding
| Transponder Antenna Fin - Present
| Rear Tiedown - untied
| Right Flap, control Linkage firm and pinned
| Right Flap, Pressure Test, inner, middle, outer
| Right Flap Hinge - All Bolts Present
| Right Airleron Control Linkage - Firm and Pin Present
| Right Airleron Hinges, inner, outer - pin present
| Right Airleron Counterweight - present and secure
| Right Airleron motion, free and correct
| Right Wing Skin - unblemished
| Right Fuel Tank Level - Consistent with panel reading
| Right wheel chalk/tiedown removed
| Right wheel brake/pads
| Right wheel linkages
| Right Tank Vent
| Right Tank Sump.
| Open Right Cowling
| Oil Level
| Vacuum pump - inspect
| Steering Linkages - inspect
| Exhaust - Grab and yank
| Fore-Cowling clear (no birdies)
| Cowing Baffle - correct shape, condition
| Close right cowling making sure Baffling is laying
correctly.
| Check cowling latches, rear - fore.
| Prop
| Spinner
| Alternator Belt
| Nose - No birdies
| Intake
| Front Strut - grab prop and compress
| Front gear
| Open Left Cowling
| Brake Fluid Level
| Check General Engine Condition
| CHT/EGT Sensors
| Left Baffling
| Close Left Cowling (Assuring correct Baffling position)
| Nose Fuel Sump.
| Verbally Declare "I declare this aircraft is Airworthy and
ready to
| fly" (This is a tremendously important to me personally,
if admittedly
| somewhat pointlessly symbolic)
|
| -
|
| The whole idea behind all of this is that each action
flows into the
| action before and the action after it, and that they're
associated with
| eachother so that I don't forget anything...
|
| I know it would give me fits flying any aircraft other
than my own
| particular bird... but hey, I down own my own plane to go
flying other
| aircraft, you know? (and I'm not rich enough to upgrade
any time soon
|
| Anyways - For what its worth, of course.
| -Scott
| On Jan 20, 12:12 am, "KevinBlack"
wrote:
| "Andrey Serbinenko"
wrote in
et...
|
|
|
| Everybody's using checklists.....snip....
|
|
http://www.dauntless-soft.com/PRODUC...HandlingNotes/
|
| Just about every GA checklist you might want and all
free.
|
| HTH,
| Kevin
|
| =============================
|

On 20 Jan 2007 01:33:16 -0800, "EridanMan"
wrote in . com:

As for Checklists...

Frankly, I've fallen for the "flow-check" mentality. I think a huge
part of this for me is the fact that I own (and exclusively fly) my
ship... so I know her inside out.

A (good) checklist is an integrated whole, a system that comprises
more than the sum of its parts. For instance, I start on the
less-full tank, then at run-up there's an item to switch to the
fullest tank. This verifies fuel flow from two tanks. A flow-check
won't guarantee that sort of thing.

"EridanMan" wrote in message
ups.com...
Great Thread Guys-

"CLEAR the PROP" is a call I've had drilled into me from my first
flight... its one of those things that, ok, maybe its not the 'coolest'
thing in the world (in the James Bond sense of the word), and although
its probably completely and obviously worthless 99% of the time (I've
gotten odd looks from Pax calling clear out the window at 9:00pm on a
completely deserted tarmac before)... I figure if only once in my
entire pilot life my 'clear prop' habit comes in useful (either
convenience or safety)... anyone, then its worth the extra few seconds
during each startup.


I always yell it out. It was part of my training on a busy, instructional
ramp. People (including new students) walking between the planes to get to
the next row, etc. It seemed completely necessary and became very natural.
Then, with seaplane training - same thing. Starting up close to a dock or
shore. You never know when someone (especially kids) will run out to watch.
And, in my case with the engine behind me, there is always that chance that
I might have drifted back into something. Yelling it out and waiting a few
seconds gives someone a chance to get out of the way or to call out a
conflict.

I was once flying a rented 150 at a small, country airport in Minnesota. I
yelled "Clear Prop" and clearly heard a couple of weathered pilots standing
nearby - "You don't hear that too often." I'm not exactly sure what their
point was. I don't know if they were making fun of me for bothering or
praising me for doing what has become unusual. Either way, after thinking it
through, I am more convinced than ever that it can't hurt and, for the
uninitiated passengers, adds a little sense of bravado. As in throwing the
white silk scarf over the shoulder, lowering the goggles, "Contact" sort of
way.

Safety first. Fly safe.
--
-------------------------------
Travis
Lake N3094P
PWK

I was once flying a rented 150 at a small, country airport in Minnesota. I
yelled "Clear Prop" and clearly heard a couple of weathered pilots standing
nearby - "You don't hear that too often." I'm not exactly sure what their
point was. I don't know if they were making fun of me for bothering or
praising me for doing what has become unusual.

I don't know any single engine pilots who don't yell "Clear!" before
starting.

WRT checklists, Mary and I have very different techniques. I use the
"flow-check" method, which means I do everything in a very specific
order, geographically, each and every time. Because we fly the same
plane all the time, it has become ingrained, and I can do it in my
sleep.

Mary, on the other hand, uses a laminated checklist, and methodically
goes down the list.

We tend to cross-check each other, and -- although it's exceedingly
rare -- we *do* find the other person forgetting something once in a
while.

One thing I've noticed with a written checklist is that it's easy to
run your finger down it, say it out loud -- and NOT SEE IT. I don't
know why that is, but I find that I'm more likely to actually LOOK AT
what I'm checking if I use my mental flow-chart.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote
WRT checklists, Mary and I have very different techniques. I use the
"flow-check" method, which means I do everything in a very specific
order, geographically, each and every time.
Mary, on the other hand, uses a laminated checklist, and methodically
goes down the list.

The airline "system" is to use the "flow" as a "do-list" and follow-up
with the written checklist as a real "checklist", not as a "do-list".

Bob Moore

WRT checklists, Mary and I have very different techniques. I use the
"flow-check" method, which means I do everything in a very specific
order, geographically, each and every time.
Mary, on the other hand, uses a laminated checklist, and methodically
goes down the list.

The airline "system" is to use the "flow" as a "do-list" and follow-up
with the written checklist as a real "checklist", not as a "do-list".

Cool! Nice to know we've got the best of both worlds, so long as we
fly together...

However, it is possible for BOTH of us to miss stuff, amazingly. On
our last flight we were ten minutes out when Mary noticed that the left
tip tank was reading low, apparently down about 5 gallons.

For a few minutes we were left wondering if the quick drain was
leaking, since she had visually looked in the tank and prounounced it
full. Then we thought maybe the gauge was bad, when we couldn't see
any gas streaming out behind the wing.

Finally I remembered refueling from the New Grape (see it he
http://www.alexisparkinn.com/new_mighty_grape.htm ) a few days earlier.
At that time I had asked Mary to check the tip, to see if it needed
any gas, and she had responded that it was full -- so I never topped it
off.

Because of the dihedral of our wing, the tip tanks can look close to
full and actually be down about 5 gallons. She had simply
misinterpreted the visual inspection twice.

The fact that we BOTH missed the lower-than-normal gauge during
preflight (although technically Mary was PIC, so my checks were only
acting as back-up) illustrates how this sort of thing *is* possible,
even with two sets of eyes. Luckily, "only" having 79 gallons of gas
on board isn't much of an emergency...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"