Pre Flight checklist

One of out members is crashing far too often due to a failure to thoroughly check the airplane. Almost every day he flies something happens to one of his airplanes.

I am looking for an after repair or after purchase checklist.

I am looking for a pre flight checklist.

Anyone have a good checklist?

Bill

Checklist, checklist, where did we put that checklist? I know it's out there somewhere, let me find the link...

The thread pointing to the checklists is here: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=2546437 but I can't get to the web site. I've PM'd bubbagates to see if they've moved.

Yep, Looks like Bill's server is down right now. I'm sure he'll poke his head in here before too long. I know he's been neck deep in alligators at work lately!!! But he'll hook us all up as soon as he can!!!!

I've seen a lot of pilots like the one you described, I think every field has at least one or two of them. Unfortunately even providing a checklist doesn't help some of them. I've seen pilots that have been flying for 10 years act this way. It's not that he didn't know what to check, he simply didn't check his plane out. There's not much you can do about those that won't to maintenance on their own planes. About the only thing that will get them change is when they get tired of paying for crashed planes.

Ken

Yep, They have been moved. I used to have them at the clubs web site I used to belong to. Due to issues with that club, the site was taken down (I used to host it) They can be found here

http://www.hiddenhangarrc.com/checklists/

http://www.hiddenhangarrc.com/pdf (this has a DA50 and a Brison 3.2 mounting template and a few other little tidbits)

Sorry about the confusion

I updated the other thread too.

Here's the checklist we include in our Pilot Training Manual, which we adopted from Mike Lynch and Tom Rhodes of the Crystal River R/C Club in Beverly Hills, FL

Appendix C
Mechanics Check List


POWER PLANT

1. PROPELLER
� Propeller nut tight
� Spinner on tight
� Propeller balanced

2. ENGINE
� Hold down bolts tight
� Head bolts tight
� Carburetor secure
� Glow plug tight
� Note: carburetor will be "stroked" during the CONTROL operation.

3. FUEL SYSTEM
� Lines connected properly
� Line routing , bends, kinks
� Tank mounting
� Clunk free


FUSELAGE

1. CONTROLS
� Throttle control free
� Servos mounted securely and tight
� Servo hardware tight
� Servo pushrods clear of mechanical interference

2. LANDING GEAR
� Main Gear and Nose Gear Hardware tight
� Wheels free and collars tight

3. RECEIVER
� Check all receiver plugs for proper seating
� Check antenna routing
� Check receiver overall crash protection

4. BATTERY AND SWITCH
� Check switch mounting (opposite muffler side of fuse.
� Check wire leads for routing and binding and proper hook-up
� Check battery crash protection
� Check battery voltage


EMPENNAGE

1. VERTICAL STAB
� Check all glue joints for rigidity where joined to fuse
� Check rudder hinges
� Check rudder control horn
� Rudder throw will be checked and set under CONTROL OPERATION

2. HORIZONTAL STAB
� Check all glue joints for rigidity where joined to fuse
� Check elevator hinges
� Check elevator control horn
� Elevator throw will be checked and set under CONTROL OPERATION


WING


1. CONTROL SURFACES
� Check aileron hinges
� Check aileron control horns
� Aileron operation will be checked and set under CONTROL OPERATION 2


2. WING ALIGNMENT
� Check wings center section joint
� Check wings for warp


CONTROL OPERATION


1. TRANSMITTER
� Check for card in frequency slot on transmitter impound before operating transmitter
� Check transmitter voltage meter for proper operating voltage
� Check for proper flags on transmitter
� Set all trim controls on center

2. RUDDER AND NOSE GEAR
� Check rudder for correct direction ( check also nose gear if tricycle gear) (change transmitter switch if necessary)
� Check for proper throw
� Check all hardware for tightness ( especially nose gear control horn on shaft)

3. ELEVATOR
� Check for correct direction (change transmitter switch if necessary)
� Check for proper throw
� Check all hardware for tightness


4. AILERON
� Check for correct direction (change transmitter switch if necessary)
� Check for proper throw
� Check all hardware for tightness and check aileron control shaft from pushrod connection through trailing edge bearings to connection on aileron. There should be no "slop" in the system.
� Check for symmetry in neutral position.
� Check all hardware for tightness

5. THROTTLE
� Check for correct direction (change transmitter switch if necessary)
� Check for proper throw. Trim down-carb barrel closed. Trim up-carb open to fast idle. Throttle control off for these checks. Throttle full up-carb barrel full open.
� Check all hardware for tightness


BUDDY BOX OPERATION


1. TRIM
� Set all transmitter and buddy box trim to neutral or center position.
� Ensure that the buddy box power switch is OFF.

2. OPERATION
� Check buddy box for proper tracking with main transmitter for Rudder, Elevator, Aileron, and Throttle. Correct buddy box as necessary to track with main transmitter.

3. RANGE CHECK
� Range check transmitter with antenna collapsed and distance of 200 feet.
� Check also operation of buddy box through transmitter at the range check.

Thanks for the checklist link.

For field preservation we are about to suggest that a mandatory pre flight check be imposed on a club member.

It is harsh but some are probably ready to ask a member to resign in order to preserve field status.

I am open for suggestions. This crash every time out must stop.

Bill

Has anyone offered to check his plane out for him? Done properly it wouldn't be insulting.

Bruce, while I agree with what you are saying, we have a similiar issue where I am currently at. Though he does do a decent checkout, he has bad flying days and good flying days. On his good days he's as smooth as silk. On his bad days everyone lands when he takes off because you must be ready to run for cover in a moments notice.

We are considering asking him to go back on the box or not fly at all

My point is I have a gut feeling they have already tried to help this person and he is either refusing it, or just is way too lazy and does not care.

BillS,

The club might need to revoke his solo privileges until he's more thorough and safety conscious.

Dr.1

It is harsh but you are probably correct. We have a more fundamental problem

The problem has existed for a couple of years. The individual is always careless and most crashes are probably equipment failure. Many have tried to help but the message never sticks. Members have become weary of working on someone else’s airplane at the field.

We were without a flight field for 5 months this year. And now it is clear the fundamental problem needs a resolution.

Bill

Wow, what a long and detailed check list!!!! Most of that should have been done before even putting the plane in your transport.

As far as a simple pre-flight, the acronym CAWTT has kept me out of trouble.
C for Controls, stand behind the airplane and make sure they are going the correct direction. Try to move them by hand and make sure they don't have any play.

A for antenna, is it screwed in snug and did you extend it all the way out. Has the plane been range checked?

W for wings and wind, are they properly fastened and which way is the wind blowing for take off?

Taxi, do not taxi in pits or start in pits, start at least twenty feet from pits and flight line, observe plane of rotation safety, no one in front of prop when accelerating engine or removing starter.

Take Off, if others are flying, request permission to taxi out for take off and insure all pilots acknowledge your intention. Also should ensure you announce low passes, touch and goes, and full stop or dead stick landings.

I have a 135 mm scar on my left leg from a lack of proper flight line safety, don't let it happen to you!!!

Happy and Safe Landings,
Mike Boyd
AMA 7197

That's more than 49 inches, is that correct? Long leg?

Not trying to make light of any injury BTW.

Sorry obout yhe typo. Some timz we have dumb fingerz tu, don't we. Anyway, after the cut along the inside of the knee took more that 22 stitches approximately 1/2" apart. You could put your fist into the hole/gap, if that will get the real point across.

Many pilots and spectators fail to realize IT CAN Happen to them, not just someone else.

We also have a few pilots that show up, and many of us hide behind a tree while they fly, or just pack up and leave. We really do have to become more pro-active as club members in policing our fields and encouraging adherance to safety protocols. Hope we all can build team-work on the safety issues and band together to ensure we have safe flying sites.

Mike Boyd
AMA 7197

Trying to load a %$@#! Picture, but keep getting a web site error message.

Okay, one more time, compliments of an APC 22X10 prop, inside left knee, leg grossly swollen from trauma.

Is that a leg or finger?
Can't tell

Heare some checklist for you.
http://www.geistware.com/rcmodeling/check_lists.htm

He says "left leg". Looks like it may have hurt for a while [:@]. Looks like about a foot long scar in the making.

As we said earlier in the post, the left leg. As you can see, it is swollen about twice normal size from the trauma.