Preflight needs rethinking
02-02-2007 | 11:30 AM
#1
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From: , NM
Preflight needs rethinking
This is about what happened last Sunday 1-28-2007:
I do extensive preflight before the plane maidens and then very little after it's been flying for awhile. That almost led to a crash.
My Tiger Moth Bipe has flown 5-10 times by then. I had just reduced the weight on the nose by an ounce to try and get the balance perfect. Everything was uneventful until 20' from the ground. Full throttle pushed the nose WAY up, the climb was slow, and the sucker just barely kept from stalling. As soon as I backed off of the throttle, she leveled out and flew farely well. I brought her to the south end of the field, cut the throttle and glided her in.
I thought the problem was caused by the weight change in the nose, so she didn't fly the rest of the day. When I got her home I set her to the side to look at later.
I pulled the receiver out to put in another plane. That's when I noticed the elevator linkage had come slightly loose on the servo end inside the plane.
Lesson: Diligent thorough preflights make for better flights.
I do extensive preflight before the plane maidens and then very little after it's been flying for awhile. That almost led to a crash.
My Tiger Moth Bipe has flown 5-10 times by then. I had just reduced the weight on the nose by an ounce to try and get the balance perfect. Everything was uneventful until 20' from the ground. Full throttle pushed the nose WAY up, the climb was slow, and the sucker just barely kept from stalling. As soon as I backed off of the throttle, she leveled out and flew farely well. I brought her to the south end of the field, cut the throttle and glided her in.
I thought the problem was caused by the weight change in the nose, so she didn't fly the rest of the day. When I got her home I set her to the side to look at later.
I pulled the receiver out to put in another plane. That's when I noticed the elevator linkage had come slightly loose on the servo end inside the plane.
Lesson: Diligent thorough preflights make for better flights.
02-02-2007 | 12:42 PM
#2
My Feedback: (1)
RE: Preflight needs rethinking
Yeah. Common practice is to do a maiden flight then thoroughly check everything before making a second flight. You never know what came loose or what was never secured before maiden. It only takes a few minutes.
One time, after a maiden, I landed and found that I had forgotten to put the screw in that holds the servo arm in place on my elevator. Not good. That could have come off at any time, and as it was, it was loose and ready to pop. If I had flown twice, I'm sure that I would have brought my nice new Excelleron 90 home in a plastic bag. It has pull-pull for both the rudder and the elevator. I thought I had checked that before flying, but I guess I didn't. I recall having to re-tension the pull-pull cables before maiden, but don't recall leaving the screw out. And, it was not in the bottom anywhere to be found inside there, so it did't come off during flight.
DS.
One time, after a maiden, I landed and found that I had forgotten to put the screw in that holds the servo arm in place on my elevator. Not good. That could have come off at any time, and as it was, it was loose and ready to pop. If I had flown twice, I'm sure that I would have brought my nice new Excelleron 90 home in a plastic bag. It has pull-pull for both the rudder and the elevator. I thought I had checked that before flying, but I guess I didn't. I recall having to re-tension the pull-pull cables before maiden, but don't recall leaving the screw out. And, it was not in the bottom anywhere to be found inside there, so it did't come off during flight.
DS.
02-02-2007 | 01:34 PM
#3
RE: Preflight needs rethinking
Lost a servo screw on one throttle on a twin star maiden. During the flight the other engine died, the screw that backed out was on the other engine which was now at full throttle. One engine dead, the other stuck WOT. Just took it up high and flew out the tank. That says more about the plane than the pilot. Another twin wouldnt have been so lucky.
Edwin
Edwin
