Today's radio equipment is both capable and reliable.
Failures are uncommon. As such we could easily start to take their
reliability for granted, but we should not.

We all know we should range check our systems before we fly each day.
Have you ever put your plane up without checking? If you did, you
probably had no problems and so never thought about it. But things can
happen. Let me share two recent experiences that really drive home the
value of range checks.

Shooting yourself down [X(]

I had just finished the October club sailplane contest. My plane flew
well and I did pretty well, for me. In any case, the lift was scarce
and the wind was strong so I decided to go slope soaring. I packed up
and went to the slope. At the slope I pulled out my slope plane and
radio which I had used the day before. Everything had worked fine
yesterday so it should work fine today, right?

However I did my usual range check only to find that my plane started to
glitch at less than 30 feet. Impossible, but true! After checking the
plane and the radio several times, I decided that there really was a
problem. I tuned off the radio and pulled out my other radio, the one I
had used for the sailplane contest. When I pulled it out, it was on!
Both radios are on the same channel. Apparently as I had slipped the
radio into the case I brushed the switch and turned it on.

If I had tossed my plane off the cliff into the slope lift, I would have
had a disaster. You see, my slope sites all fly over salt water. And at
30 degrees warm and 20 mph winds, a wade or swim of shame is probability
not going to be fun and could be out of the question. I would have lost
the plane. I would have shot myself down. Funny to think of that now,
but it reinforced the value of range checking before the first flight!

It worked, and then it didn't

I was competing in a two day Eastern Soaring League sailplane contest.
Top name competitors on the field and excellent frequency control
insured that there would be no channel conflicts and very competent
pilots.

I did my usual morning routine of assembling my 3M sailplane, checking
the receiver battery, checking the radio and performing a radio check.
All was well and I was ready for the competition. No chance of winning,
but a great chance to fly with the best of the best! I was excited!

On my third flight, it seemed my control was sloppy. I was not flying
smoothly. I was getting coaching from a top grade pilot but just did
not seem to be able to handle the plane the way he was suggesting.
Something was wrong with my flying. On the 4th flight, as my sailplane
came off the winch line at about 500 feet in altitude, I lost control
for a moment, then I had it back. ????? As I turned to run to lift,
again I lost control for a moment then got it back. I landed
immediately. Thank goodness I got down safely.

I checked everything, EVERYTHING. No problems. A quick range check
revealed no problems, or did it. Had I really done the range check
properly? In fact I had not. The radio maker's procedure said 100', but
in fact I had only quickly dashed off to about 60 feet. At 60 it
checked fine. But when I paced out to about 75 feet I started to have
trouble and at 80 feet, I lost contact with the plane.

My morning range check may have been hasty, or perhaps the malfunction
had developed during the day. I don't know, but it was the second range
check that helped me find the problem. Had I failed to do it properly,
I might have launched again and lost control of the plane. At a minimum
I probably would have destroyed my 3M sailplane. At worst I could have
injured someone or damaged someone's property.

The point?

Never put your plane in the air without a full range check. And if you
see or feel something odd in the way your plane is handling, range check
it again!

I know it has always passed and you have never had a problem, but you
could. And, it could cost you a plane, or worse. You are the pilot!
You are responsible to see that your equipment is working properly.
Never fail to do so and you will enjoy your planes and the people around
you will enjoy watching you fly them.

Clear Skies and Safe Flying!