VINTAGE INSTRUCTOR
THE
BY DOUG STEWART
Kick the tires: Part I A few winters back I remember hearing a client of mine call over the UNICOM, shortly after he had taken off, that the airspeed indicator in his airplane wasn’t working. My first thought was that he probably had not checked to see that his airspeed indicator was “alive” prior to liftoff, for if he had, he most likely wouldn’t be in his current predicament. But to give him the benefit of the doubt, I supposed it was possible (although not probable) that some condensation might have formed in his static lines while the airplane was in a heated hangar overnight, and now that it was exposed to sub-freezing temperatures in the winter air, the condensate had turned to ice. Since the airplane did not have a static line drain, I couldn’t fault the pilot for not checking that item during his preflight inspection. But I had a strong suspicion that perhaps this pilot’s preflight inspection had been less than thorough. I told the pilot, over the UNICOM, to re-enter the pattern and land, and we would then check it out. I wasn’t too concerned about his landing without an airspeed indicator (ASI) because we had practiced a couple of landings with the ASI covered up (Hint, hint…something we all should periodically do!) during his last Wings program training. My suspicions were confirmed as the airplane turned off the runway and entered the taxiway leading to the ramp. From my window in the fixed base operator I could see the streamer boldly emblazoned with the words “Remove
32 FEBRUARY 2008
Before Flight” hanging from the pitot vane on the bottom of the wing. But remembering the admonition that folks who live in grass houses shouldn’t play with matches, I wasn’t about to set a large fire under that pilot’s ego. For I, too, had made a similar mistake (that’s when I learned to be sure to check that the ASI is working prior to rotation), and I know that if there were to be a gathering of pilots who had all made the same mistake, it would require a very, very large hangar to hold all the attendees. But this does lead us to a discussion of preflight inspections. What constituted a proper and thorough preflight? What types of conditions might ground the airplane, even if it were in a flyable condition? How should we proceed if we find a squawk? Is there any time when a “kick the tires, light the fires” mentality might suffice? And last, but far from least, what ramifications might we expect if we miss something on a preflight inspection? Let’s take a look at the last item first. The ramifications might run from something not even noticeable during the flight to something that ends in the loss of airplane and/or life. As an example, I remember a friend of mine who missed the fact that one of the fuel caps on his beautiful Cessna 195 was not secure. As a result, the fuel in that tank was siphoning out, into the slipstream, all the while he was on his flight from Maine back to Massachusetts. Now I am sure that he probably noticed that the fuel gauge was showing a much faster drop than normal, but it is quite possible that the pilot succumbed
to the same type of denial that I experienced when the fuel line broke in my Cardinal (described in a recent article) and continued on with his flight, all the while rationalizing away the problem. But unfortunately his C-195 turned into a glider just 5 miles short of his destination when it ran completely out of fuel, and in the ensuing forced landing, when faced with the choice of trying to fly above the power lines that were between the airplane and the chosen landing spot or below them, the airplane hit some trees and ended up rolling into a ball. Literally! Miraculously no one was killed, and the pilot and passenger suffered only minor injuries. (The way it was discovered that the fuel cap had been ajar was by the red stains [remember 80 octane?] that covered what remained of the wing and empennage.) The question arises: how did the pilot miss the fact that his fuel cap was loose? The answer could be one of many. In my experience I have seen quite a variety of reasons why pilots miss items on a preflight inspection of their airplane. Probably heading the list is distractions! Other things I find included on the list are being in a hurry and complacency, to mention a couple of them. Just as it is so important to maintain a “sterile cockpit” whenever we are operating on or in the vicinity of an airport, it is equally as important that we ensure we are not distracted by our passengers while inspecting our airplanes. All it takes is one moment of inattention, due to the distraction
caused by a bystander’s innocent “interference,” to miss an important item (like a loose fuel cap). Thus, I recommend to all my clients that they tell their passengers that if the passenger distracts them during their preflight inspection, it might very well lead to their demise. Admittedly this message might be construed as harsh, but I guarantee you it is effective. Other distractions might not come from our passengers, but from the environment or perhaps other operations being conducted on the airport, like the flyby of that beautiful Staggerwing . . . (Oops, I just got distracted from writing this article as I visualized that wonderful biplane flying by). We have to be cautious that nothing distracts us from the critically important job of the preflight inspection. Even when the temperatures are well below freezing, and the winds are gusting into the 20s as you inspect the airplane out of doors, it is not the time to hurry that inspection. We have to be vigilant that nothing causes us to rush that inspection. Okay…you probably should have done the inspection before you called for your instrument flight rules clearance, and now you face a void time that is looming large; however, it is much better to call flight service and let them know that you missed the void time than to depart into the clag with something not right with the airplane. The phrase that it’s “much better to be down here, wishing you were up there,” rather than the other way around, definitely applies when it comes to the preflight inspection. Another mentality that I have seen lead to missing an item on a preflight is complacency. “There wasn’t anything wrong with the airplane when I inspected it this morning, and nothing went wrong on the flight down. Besides, it’s going to be dark before I get home, if I don’t get going now. We’ll just kick the tires and light the fires.” Remember those thoughts when you discover that neither the cockpit lights nor the landing lights work as the unforecast head winds have you arriving home after dark. There is one item that could pre-
vent every one of the scenarios I have just described, and that item is a checklist. Notice that I did not say a “do” list, but a “check” list. The way I inspect an airplane, and the way I recommend that my clients inspect their aircraft, is by following a “flow” around the airplane, inspecting each item in a logical, methodical, sequential fashion. Then, when I have completed the preflight inspection, I get out that list and “check” to ensure that I have not missed anything. And yes, there are times when I have indeed missed something, either because of
The phrase it is “much better to be down here, wishing you were up there,” rather than the other way around, definitely applies when it comes to the preflight inspection.
As we have seen, missing just one small thing has the potential to lead to disaster. It could be loss of life or airplane. But there have been some situations where the only thing injured was ego, and the only loss was of the use of a pilot certificate for a period of time. Again, one example I have in mind involved a loose fuel cap . . . In next month’s article I will discuss the guidance provided by the FARs in relation to a preflight inspection. We will also look at what constitutes a no-go situation, as well as how we can go ahead and safely as well as legally fly the airplane, even if we might have found a squawk. In the meantime, be sure to take your undistracted time as you thoroughly preflight your airplane prior to enjoying . . . blue skies and tail winds. Doug Stewart is the 2004 National CFI of the Year, a Master Instructor, and a designated pilot examiner. He operates DSFI Inc. (www.DSFlight.com) based at the Columbia County Airport (1B1).
being distracted, being in a hurry, or being just plain complacent. By being disciplined, and getting out and using that checklist after the inspection is complete, I ensure that nothing gets missed. I have found that carrying that checklist with me through the inspection can be a distraction in and of itself. There are some things that require two hands to inspect, and if that checklist occupies one of my hands, I am already distracted as I try to find somewhere to put the list. (I won’t bore you with a sampling of potential scenarios for this one, even though you might chuckle at some of them.) Thus, again, I save the list for the end of the inspection.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 33