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about Preflight check


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Guest Decca

Nah, I'm going to bed, fall asleep listening to the cricket, & dream of an impossible victory. 2 openers down now, Go Ozzies.

 

 

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Instructor's Handshake.

 

It's generally fear. It used to be masked by smoking Marlborough. Nev.

 

PS. DS.... aeroplanes fly by pushing air around primarily. That costs money...

 

 

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Do you think, as part of learning how to be an instructor, they have to practice how to look uninterested but also watch at the same time? Just think of it - "Lesson 4: appropriate instructor facial expressions". That could also include how to not look completely terrified at things some students do...

Absolutely.068_angry.gif.cc43c1d4bb0cee77bfbafb87fd434239.gif

 

Frank.

 

 

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Guest Baphomet

I can't believe I'm reading stuff like this "I don't know how your instructor works but some have been known ( and its a good technique ) to put faults there for you to find. It also gives them an idea how well you are preflighting"

 

Lets get this straight. It is NOT a good idea to induce a fault condition to test if it's been picked up at pre-flight. This so-called good technique has killed people in the past, and will probably do so again. I would run a million miles from anyone using this training methodology.

 

 

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I think it was a bit off fot someone to suggest you change instructor. It was clear from my reading of your posts that you are not super confident and may have missed something. When you ask the instructor what to do, make sure he explains it in a way that you understand, ask again if it isn't clear.

 

When you get a little more sure of yourself I am sure it will all work out and you will suddenly get the big picture. Whatever happens enjoy it and keep at it.

 

 

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Yenn, that is EXACTLY right. I am not super confident (I'm attempting to get to half-way confident at the moment). I am in no way a mechanically/scientifically minded person so it's going to take me some time to work up to being confident about preflighting. Sometimes it takes time for things like this to click for me, I realise that.

 

The main reason I started this thread was to check that I'm not actually inventing problems with my preflight (e.g. thinking I need to check things that I don't need to), I never imagined there would be this much discussion about it!

 

 

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One thing I found useful for my preflight checks was the Jabiru POH - if you haven't already downloaded it it's a good reference for preflights.

 

Some instructors forget things like checking the wheel struts for free play - the book has it all!

 

 

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a good preflight should always be based on the POH. also, dont forget a lot goes on behind the scenes during the night, well we do anyway, every morning before any students arrive we go over our aircraft as per the POH and also to check for other things that we know will wear eventually, and make sure all the big things are done, like battery levels, brake fluid levels, tyre pressures, engine mount security, exhaust leaks etc. the students we let do the short preflight and walk around, once they have their licence, then we show them the big first flight of the day preflight.

 

sadly we have noticed that doing a big pre flight check before every flight usually results in more damage to aircraft.

 

 

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I figured there must be some sort of 'pre-student' preflight!

 

It seems kind of logical that doing a big preflight each time would damage the aircraft...having students playing around with things like tyre pressures etc does seem a little risky really...

 

The POH will definitely help. I think I do pretty much all of the things listed, although I intend to ask about dipping the fuel tanks. I was told to check the brakes for wear (which I do), are there any 'rules of thumb' (I guess) to tell when they're too worn? I think the instructor who showed me the preflight (not my normal instructor) mentioned something about the two parts being 1 inch away from each other? I'm not certain about that though.

 

What's the 'static source'? (number 4 in preflight list in Jab POH)

 

 

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... every morning before any students arrive we go over our aircraft as per the POH and also to check for other things that we know will wear eventually, and make sure all the big things are done ...

Yep - sometimes I try to get to the field early (I usually aim for morning flights) so I can go through that with the instructor.

 

That, plus the hairdryers and other paraphernalia needed to get the Jabs started in this freezing weather! :stirring pot:

 

 

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What's the 'static source'? (number 4 in preflight list in Jab POH)

Static source is the tube poking forward from the top of the vertical stabiliser - to check it, you push the tail down and make sure you can see through the holes (drilled at right angles to the tube).

 

Static source is vital to both the ASI and altimeter - also the Dynon EFIS depends on static and pitot pressure for all its indications - including its artificial horizon. So pretty important!

 

 

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Oooooooooooh, I thought it might be that tube. It works together with the pitot tube for airspeed yeah?

 

So, I push the tail down towards the ground, and try and look through the little holes and if I can then it's all good? *has images of pushing the tail down and having something messy happen to the plane* That will be interesting to try. Perhaps it will be the moment when I find out whether my instructor really is sneakily watching me preflight or if he's just reading a book 006_laugh.gif.0f7b82c13a0ec29502c5fb56c616f069.gif

 

 

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Yeah - not everyone does it (in fact, I don't remember seeing anyone else doing it) but my instructor showed me how.

 

Just don't try it if he's sitting in the plane!

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Decca

Hey you guys, pm Decca if you're coming out Ballarat way. Even on the off-chance you have to divert.

 

Failing that drop into the aero club for a cuppa.

 

Safe flying, Decca.024_cool.gif.7a88a3168ebd868f5549631161e2b369.gif

 

 

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