New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

OK fellow experienced flyers (and anyone else who feels like reading),

I am not a noobie, I am posting this question here since I know many others (including those of us who think we know what we are doing) can benefit from this besides me.

Here is the question:

I am on the safety committee at my club and I am compiling a list of items to check before taking a new plane out for its inaugural flight.

What things do you always check? [8D]

What things have you missed in the past and learned from? [:@]

Share your best ideas, stories (I'm sure there are many interesting ones ;)) and suggestions.

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

I copied and pasted from the British Model Flying Association

PRE FLYING SESSION CHECKS
On arrival at the flying site:
(1) Check airframe for any transit damage.
(2) Check that servos and linkages are secure.
(3) Check undercarriage for secure fixing and correct alignment.
(4) Check propeller for damage and secure fixing.

CHECKS BEFORE EACH FLIGHT

(1) After obtaining frequency clearance, switch transmitter ON then receiver ON. Check that all controls operate freely and in the correct sense. Check that all control surfaces are in their correct positions with the transmitter trims at neutral.
(2) Look for any minor radio malfunctions such as slow or ‘jittery’ servos, glitches etc. If in doubt, DO NOT FLY.
(3) After starting the engine and allowing it to warm up, check that the pick-up from idle to full power is satisfactory. Hold the model with its nose pointing upwards at a steep climbing angle for ten or fifteen seconds and check engine operation at full power. If the engine falters or cuts it is usually set too lean and must be re-tuned. Repeat the test until the engine runs correctly in the nose-up attitude.
(4) With the aircraft held securely on the ground, open up again to full power and re-check all flying controls again.
(5) DOUBLE CHECK that all transmitter trims, rate switches, mixers etc. are in their correct positions and that the transmitter meter is ‘in the green’.

Be S.M.A.R.T. with your transmitter.

S...switch on
M...meter in the green
A...aerial secure and extended
R...rate switches all in correct positions
T...trims all in correct positions

CHECKS AFTER EACH FLIGHT

(1) Receiver OFF then transmitter OFF.
(2) Clear the frequency control system.
(3) Clean the aircraft down
(4) Check propeller, airframe, undercarriage, wing fixing etc. for security of fastening and for possible flight or landing damage.


REMEMBER - Never fly with a damaged aircraft or propeller, or with any possible radio problem.

Here is some more help:


RADIO CONTROL FLYING SAFETY

(a) Before you do anything else, make sure that you understand and are complying with the field frequency control system. NEVER switch on until you are sure it is safe.
(b) Before every flight, check that transmitter trims, rate switches etc. are in their correct positions and that each control surface on the model moves freely and in the correct sense.
(c) Immediately before take-off, flight controls must be checked for full, free and correct movement under full power if applicable. If there are any doubts as to their operation, DO NOT FLY.
(d) Flyers wishing to use adjacent frequency channels should first perform an interaction check. Flyers regularly operating together on adjacent channels should perform the check every two or three months.
See the previous section on Radio Control at Your Club for details of the simple check you should perform.
(e) Inexperienced R/C flyers should never fly without an experienced helper.
(f) Unless positive controls are in force, all flyers should use the same take-off area at any particular flying session.
(g) Do not taxi in or out of the pits area. Wheel or carry your model well clear of the pits before commencing taxying and stop the model well clear when taxying back after landing.
(h) Before take-off, check that both ground and sky are clear and never take off or land towards other pilots, spectators or the pits area.
(i) Always make the initial turn after take-off away from spectators and parking areas. Diving manoeuvres should always be pointed away from spectators, parking areas and other people.
(j) Always maintain a clear view of the model and allow plenty of room between the flight path and spectators, other flyers or model pit areas. NEVER fly between yourself and spectator or pit areas, especially when landing.
(k) DO NOT OVERFLY houses, domestic gardens, car parks, traffic, railways, organised games or spectators. You may not be able to control people walking by at a reasonable distance from the take off/landing area but you should take care not to overfly them at low level.
(l) At any sign of malfunction or an unexpected jettisoning of model parts, land as soon as it is safe to do so.
(m) Do not distract pilots, particularly when they are controlling models taking off or landing.
(n) Clubs should exercise strict control over the take-off/landing area used. Pilots about to take off should inform people already flying. Pilots landing should have priority but must call out their intentions ‘loud and clear’ and must NEVER assume that they have been heard. A pilot going out to take off may not hear a call over the noise of his model's engine.
(o) NEVER assume that the landing area is clear even if you have called landing. In emergency situations call for help from your fellow flyers and always be prepared to land in a safe place off the landing area if necessary. In ALL cases, the safety of people is paramount.
(p) Care must be taken at all times to avoid overflying operating transmitters. Pilots should stand together and should not be allowed to wander over the flying area when operating transmitters. Clubs should take action to prevent operating transmitters being taken out on to an active flying area when, for example, models are being retrieved.

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

OK, I'll start things off with my first lesson learned...

I built my first plane, a Sig Kadet LT40 from a kit. I built the plane over a few weeks as I had time. I finally got the whole thing together and brought it out to my local flying field and unintentionally became the entertainment for the afternoon.

I set the plane up on one of the setup tables and all the very experienced fliers looked it over and made comments. Everything appeared to be fine so the resident expert with all his 40 years of experience took it up for its first flight. It flew great and he commented on how nicely it flew.

He was just about to hand the radio over to me so I could give it a try when something flew off the plane. It was the elevator...

At this point I can now say OOPS and laugh about it. Guys at my club still talk about it! :)

What happened was in the process of building the plane I finished the tail section a couple weeks before the final assembly and the hinges were only fitted but not glued.

For you noobies, the elevator is the worst control surface to do this with since there is no getting around not being able to control the pitch of the plane.

Luckily the plane was at the far end of the field and heading in the right direction when the event happened. All my instructor could do was let the plane come down so it !QUOT!landed!QUOT! in the center of the field where it wouldn't hurt anything. It came down hard on the nose wheel and bounced about ten feet back up in the air. I really was lucky to have a plane left after that.

Here is item #1 for the list...

1. Tug on all hinges and make sure they are properly secured and working correctly.

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

Okay, I will start off by saying that I am a newbe to flying R/C. Back in the early 70's I got the chance to actually solo in a real plane. I am going to dust off the old brain cells and attempt to remember the pre-flight that I used to have to do.

Starting at the left door,

1) Check engine. Check oil levels, make sure all visible hoses are connected and secure. Make sure inspection cover is secured in place.

2) Firmly grasp prop and pull to make sure it is secure. Inspect prop for damage.

3) Check nose wheel.

4) Inspect leading edge of right wing.

5) Check cover on right wing tip light.

6) Grasp right aileron. Make sure it is secured. Check for free movement stop to stop.

7) Check right flap. Make sure it is secured and has no movement.

8) Check right side of fuse. Loose, missing or damage.

9) Check leading edge of right horz. stab. Looking for damage.

10) Check leading edge vert. stab. Looking for damage.

11) Grasp elevator. Make sure it is secured and has free movement stop to stop and that the entire elevator moves together.

12) Grasp rudder. Make sure it is secured and has free movement stop to stop.

13) Move elevator and rudder stop to stop together to make sure they do not interfer with each others travel.

14) Check leading edge left horz. stab.

15) Check left side fuse.

16) Check left flap.

17) Check left aileron.

18) Check left aircraft light cover.

19) Check leading edge, left wing.

Whala, your done with the preflight.

After that we would taxi out to the end of the runway, point the nose into the wind and check things like the engine to full power, magnetos (make sure that both were functioning and the engine would work on one at a time), ailerons, rudder and elevator. The instructor told me to remember CIGARETTE, but for the life of me I can't remember what each letter was supposed to stand for.

I really don't know how much of this applies to R/C flying, but some of it might. I left out checking the fuel because these aircraft don't have wing tanks that I know of.

Hope this helps you.

Larry

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

The thing I like to check on a new plane (mine or otherwise) is to make sure that all of the servo control arms have their screws in place. It's just too easy to remove a screw, rotate the control arm, press it back onto the servo, and then forget to replace the screw.

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

Ailerons, Ailerons, Ailerons!
I've seen more reversed ailerons by newbies AND experienced pilots than any other boo-boo. I've see but one survive with heroic use of rudder, but most times the realization comes to late. [:o]

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

1. For those of us with computer radios...make sure model selcted in TX matches model you're about to fly.

2. Stand behind aircraft after first turning on TX and RX and (carefully)observe movement of control surfaces as all controls are moved on TX...in case you didn't follow rule number 1.

...at least it looks like it can be rebuilt....

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

I've done a few 'oreflight / new plane' checks on a few planes.. here's what I usually look for:

(Sad, but I have had to tell some newbies taht the plane ain't gonna fly today..)

-Check that all servos have their screws, and that they are secured properly to the servo tray / rails
-Flex control surfaces to see if there is some slop. (Found one plane, that used undersized wire to make the control rod connections, and teh surfaces easily moved, while not moving the servo arm.)
-Check that antenna is run in a proper fashion, through the airframe (that it isn't coiled up..)
-Check fuel tank, and fuel lines if accessable.
-check engine, and that its mounted correctly / securely
-check prop (dings and cracks mainly..)
-look over wings, (ailerons, servo, wing tips glued, ARF wings actually glued together, or that the secureing device is installed, and secure)
-Pull the control surfaces, to ensure they are glued in place! how many times I've found a rudder not glued!
-Check that all control surfaces move teh speicifed, amount, and don't bind (had one plane, where the aileron LE wasen't beveled, and did bind when defelted..)
-check balance
-Check that the radio does what it's supposed to do; move teh correct surface the right amount, and in the right direction..
-Check teh wheels, that they rool, and point true..
-Have the pilot assemble the plane, and do a range check
-Start it up, and give it teh 'noze up test'
-pass it off ot teh instructor.

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

Pull on the control surfaces firmly when doing the hinge chec... amazing how many have used medium CA... and when you give a tug... the aileron comes right off.

Got those little pieces of fuel tube on the clevices? They help keep the control system together.

Make sure the airplane looks like its adequately fuelproofed. Bare wood needs to be painted with epoxy or some other fuelproof coating. Once you start fuel soaking... you can't completely cure it.

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

Check to make sure the engine is running the the proper direction; I heard of a guy who did not check and attempted a backwards take off :) well this may just be an urban legand, I still think that it is a good idea to determine which way the engine is running.

Check the prop nut.

make sure all the controll surfaces are going the correct direction.

make sure the antennea is out!

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

Thanks everyone,

These are all great items for my list.

I thought we would get a few more good stories out of this thread but thats OK.

Of course, if you have any stories about "other" peoples misfortunes those are perfectly acceptable as well.

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

I actually know someone who put two rubber bands on his trainer's wing (he didn't have a rack or carrying cradle) just so it didn't lay on the ground or blow off his car. One thing led to another, and he actually wound up doing a take off run when he realized his mistake. Close call...
Also I guess it's been stressed here quite a bit, but I'll mention it again, as I'm taxing out to the duty I always walk behind the plane and check the control movements one more time. I lost one due to reversed alierons, will do my best to ensure it dosen't happen again!

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

I've put the prop on backwards a couple of times. Its not hard to realize once you start the engine.

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

Everyone has seemed to forget one very important item.
Voltage!!!!
make sure the Tx and RX have enough juice.:D

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

Yep... there's a good one.

Had a begnner bring his plane out and we did a check on it... even used a ESV on the RX pack... and then promptly after takeoff the plane lost control. another ESV check 9same meter...) verified the battery was flat.

It is a little know fact... you can put a NiCd on charge for an hour with the wall-wart... then up to an hour later it will read full even if that hour was all the charge it had in it. (just about enough poer to check a plane out and take off... not enough to land.)

Check that newbies pack with a loades ESV RIGHT before takeoff. Or the newbie will find a way to fool you into thinking he has a charged battery.:eek:

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

vulkan, your be S.M.A.R.T check lists is a good one.

RE: New plane - pre-flight check before first flight - share your knowledge!
 

Here is the checklist from my site.
It has the pre and post flight checks as well as initial checks.

http://www.geistware.com/rcmodeling/check_lists.htm