 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion Groups General AviationLearningIFRHomebuiltSoaringUltralightRotary-wingCountry Specific Australian GroupUK GroupRelated Topics BoatsCarsMotorcyclesMore Topics ... |
Aviation Forum / General / Aviation / September 2008Preflighting my plane - Video
Today's flight, figured to video how I preflight my plane. Comments here or on the video most welcomed. Always nice to hear input to make me a safer pilot! Preflighting an airplane Part 1 Walking to the airplane - Preflight inside the cockpit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jnz8ikkAlA Preflighting an airplane Part 2 Preflighting the airplane walk around. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAhF-x1kvpQ Preflighting an airplane Part 3 Inside the plane after preflight. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4mkhUFHWa0 "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in news:baaaeed8-05e4-498d- 8788-4e035cbed203@x35g2000hsb.googlegroups.com: > Today's flight, figured to video how I preflight my plane. Comments > here or on the video most welcomed. Always nice to hear input to make > me a safer pilot! Very Good. i didn;t watch all of it, but it's thorough and you use the checklist. Two thins I'd add to it if they're not already in there. One, as you walk around, stand back every so often and look at the airframe. You're looking for wrinkles in the skin or anything else that might look strange. Second, you should grab the wingtip and give the airplane a good shaking ( after the tiedowns are removed) this does two things. Reveals some kinds of damage, like elongated wing mounting holes and such, and perhaps more importantly, it will get any fuel that might be hiding in the fuel tank away from the sump out of it's depression and into the sump. Bertie > One, as you walk around, stand back every so often and look at the > airframe. You're looking for wrinkles in the skin or anything else that > might look strange. Definately good one for the checklist. Never thought of this and while I always step back after doing the entire check list for a last once over (long video - part 2, you will see me do this at the very end) I never thought about skin wrinkles. > mounting holes and such, and perhaps more importantly, it will get any fuel > that might be hiding in the fuel tank away from the sump out of it's > depression and into the sump. Not quite sure I understand the above?? Obviously has something to do with the sump jiggies, and mine are "spring loaded" and pressed in using the outer edge of the fuel sump diddy rather then a center piece like a Cessna. Does the style of sump make any difference? >> One, as you walk around, stand back every so often and look at the >> airframe. You're looking for wrinkles in the skin or anything else [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Does the style of sump make any difference? No, nothing to do with the sump drains themselves. The sump area is a small depession at the bottom of the tank. All water in the tank should go there by design. However most tanks have small imperfections in them where water can get into and stick there. You do a nice calm walkaround and drain your fuel and then when you start taxying, the water becomes dislodged and gets into a feed port. With some designs, this can add up to a lot of water... Bertie > No, nothing to do with the sump drains themselves. The sump area is a > small depession at the bottom of the tank. All water in the tank should [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > dislodged and gets into a feed port. With some designs, this can add up > to a lot of water... Gotchya, gotchya and gotchya, never thought of what you say, and makes perfect sense. Tanks I have are "stainless steel" and not bladders, so I **think**I have a lesser risk of water settling where it shouldn't be but like you say, a good shake would be prudent to better assure the water indeed does settle down to the sumps so it gets sumped out. "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- 9a9e-a08c07ca0294@k7g2000hsd.googlegroups.com: >> No, nothing to do with the sump drains themselves. The sump area is a >> small depession at the bottom of the tank. All water in the tank should [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > you say, a good shake would be prudent to better assure the water > indeed does settle down to the sumps so it gets sumped out. Depends on the type, but tin tanks are no kind of insurance against it. Try it sometime. Drain some fuel, if there's some water, drain it all out and then shake the airplane. Pretty sure you;ll get some more. BTW, you're tanks are more than likely aluminum. I could be wrong, but I've never seen stainless tanks in any airplane. Bertie > "atl...@gmail.com" <atl...@gmail.com> wrote in news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- > 9a9e-a08c07ca0...@k7g2000hsd.googlegroups.com: [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > Bertie Big design flaw on the early M20J (Mooney 201) was the fuel tanks were wet wing, and the seam sealant failed. If one smells gas in flight it is NOT good, and we did. Huge pain in the a.s to reseal. The other thing about those tanks is the fuel caps were a little tricky to put back right (this was back in the old days when the fuel truck would come to the airplane) and if they were not put on right rain got in big time. Nothing like draining a tank in a rain storm while wearing a suit! It was a lot of years ago but I was at a meeting in Rochester NY, got to the airplane late, heavy rain, and got lots of water in the fuel because the fuel caps were not on right. I wrote a letter of complaint to the FBO, they kept it in mind and the next I I stopped there they fueled the airplane for free. I should have taken a rain check on the free refueling! BTW, preflight checks don't end when you start the engine. A couple of times in my couple of thousand hours I was approaching rotation speed and a last look at the panel showed something not quite right. You're not committed to the flight until there is not enough runway left to stop! I approach every takeoff with the expectation I'll have to about it, and every landing with the expectation I'll have to go around. That mind set makes it a LOT easier to make the safe decision when you have to. This advice is worth exactly what you paid for it! >> "atl...@gmail.com" <atl...@gmail.com> wrote in >> news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- [quoted text clipped - 46 lines] > big time. Nothing like draining a tank in a rain storm while wearing a > suit! Yeah, I know the caps you're talking about. They were a bitch to get on. I sem to remember a lot of Mooneys having bladders, though. Earlier ones maybe? Maybe wood wing airplanes? Bertie | >> "atl...@gmail.com" <atl...@gmail.com> wrote in | >> news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] | | Bertie >| >> "atl...@gmail.com" <atl...@gmail.com> wrote in >| >> news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] >| >| Bertie Good fanboi! Bertie | >|a <pappson@gmail.com> wrote in | >| news:2f153a45-9c80-4001-a2de- [quoted text clipped - 73 lines] | | Bertie >| >|a <pappson@gmail.com> wrote in >| >| news:2f153a45-9c80-4001-a2de- [quoted text clipped - 73 lines] >| >| Bertie Here's another treat! Thukk. Bertie | >| >|a <pappson@gmail.com> wrote in | >| >| news:2f153a45-9c80-4001-a2de- [quoted text clipped - 93 lines] | | Bertie > I approach every takeoff with the expectation I'll have to about > it, and every landing with the expectation I'll have to go around. > That mind set makes it a LOT easier to make the safe decision when you > have to. I do the same :-) as well as set physical parameters that I expect certain things to happen. I.E wheels up by midfield or designated 1000 foot marker or abort, or if my wheels are not down by a certain point, go around. > "atl...@gmail.com" <atl...@gmail.com> wrote in news:7b0f558c- epends on the type, but tin tanks are no kind of insurance against it. Try > it sometime. Drain some fuel, if there's some water, drain it all out and > then shake the airplane. Pretty sure you;ll get some more. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Bertie Surprisingly, I can count on one hand getting water in the fuel and my bet how it got in there is my carelessness on taking the caps off after a rain and the residual rain underneath the lever sneaks into the tank. But I will give what you say above a try, nothing gain, nothing loss but the adventure. AND YES, you are right, it's aluminum and I knew that, why stainless steel came out of my keyboard is beyond my belief :-)) >> "atl...@gmail.com" <atl...@gmail.com> wrote in news:7b0f558c- > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > the tank. But I will give what you say above a try, nothing gain, > nothing loss but the adventure. Yeah, it's rare enough. depends on the airplane and where you live. We had an accident near where I live with an engine failure on takeoff after some very heavy rain. The guys were OK, but the airplane was destroyed ( Cherokee). There was no problem found with the engine. I think thye might have had this problem. Bertie | >> "atl...@gmail.com" <atl...@gmail.com> wrote in news:7b0f558c- | > [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] | | Bertie >| >> "atl...@gmail.com" <atl...@gmail.com> wrote in news:7b0f558c- >| > [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >| >| Bertie Thanks, Wasn't sure if this propogated fully. You're performing a public service afer all by ensuring my wisdom reaches around the globe. Bertie | >| "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in | >| news:62dfd245-3863-4a15-90c1-a645f988c237 [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] | | Bertie | "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- | 9a9e-a08c07ca0294@k7g2000hsd.googlegroups.com: [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] | | Bertie >| "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in >| news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] >| >| Bertie Thanks again for repropogating my poast. you'e a hell of a k00k. Bertie | >| "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in | >| news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] | | Bertie >| >| "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in >| >| news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >| >| Bertie A HELL of a k00k! Bertie | >| >| "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in | >| >| news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- [quoted text clipped - 46 lines] | | Bertie >| >| >| "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in >| >| >| news:7b0f558c-1f70-462f- [quoted text clipped - 46 lines] >| >| Bertie I'm soo proud! Bertie In your case it's a sickness | >| >| "Mick" <@_#`~#@.^net> wrote in news:NI7Bk.10937$Il.5229 | @newsfe09.iad: [quoted text clipped - 61 lines] | | Bertie > In your case it's a sickness > [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] >| >| Bertie Beam! Bertie | > In your case it's a sickness | > [quoted text clipped - 78 lines] | | Bertie >> One, as you walk around, stand back every so often and look at the >> airframe. You're looking for wrinkles in the skin or anything else that [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > once over (long video - part 2, you will see me do this at the very > end) I never thought about skin wrinkles. I look and feel for these. What about places you can't either touch or see? > I look and feel for these. What about places you can't either touch or > see? Heh heh, you do more then I did regarding looking for the wrinkling of the skin as I never thought about it until Bertie brought it up, soooo, you probably will have to "trust" what you don't see, don't hurt. Getting some good stuff out of this latest video to add to my "tool kit" of being a safer pilot from here and a couple other forums I shared the video with. Gezellig <nokonihi@gmail.com> wrote in news:6jjih3F3lpbtU1 @mid.individual.net: >>> One, as you walk around, stand back every so often and look at the >>> airframe. You're looking for wrinkles in the skin or anything else that [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > I look and feel for these. What about places you can't either touch or > see? Well, you can only do so much, but damage from a hard landing will usually give some sort of sign on the outside. Bertie | Gezellig <nokonihi@gmail.com> wrote in news:6jjih3F3lpbtU1 | @mid.individual.net: [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] | | Bertie >> mounting holes and such, and perhaps more importantly, it will get any fuel >> that might be hiding in the fuel tank away from the sump out of it's [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Does the style of sump make any difference? Yes, some sumps drop water to the bottom, don't know about your AC. Not quite sure I understand the above?? Obviously has something to do with the sump jiggies, and mine are "spring loaded" and pressed in using the outer edge of the fuel sump diddy rather then a center piece like a Cessna. Does the style of sump make any difference? ------------------------------------------------------- It's hard to imagine were every divot, rib, baffle, fitting or fastener might be in a tank. Although the drain is in the designed low point, droplets of water can cling to imperfections elsewhere. Condensation also collects in the tanks unwetted areas, and doesn't join the mix until splashed. Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel around and helps rinse trapped droplets to the drain area. > .. > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel > around and helps rinse trapped droplets to the drain area. Awww, you read my poast! Good k00k! Goog boi! Here's a treat, fjukkktard! Smakkkk! Bertie | > <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message | > news:f40edb8b-1cb7-43b6-9017-4d35ac42dea1 [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] | | Bertie >| > <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message >| > news:f40edb8b-1cb7-43b6-9017-4d35ac42dea1 [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] >| >| Bertie Good Kookieboi! Bertie | >| > <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message | >| > news:f40edb8b-1cb7-43b6-9017-4d35ac42dea1 [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] | | Bertie >| >| > <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message >| >| > news:f40edb8b-1cb7-43b6-9017-4d35ac42dea1 [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] >| >| Bertie There there k00kieboi Bertie | >| >| > <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message | >| >| > news:f40edb8b-1cb7-43b6-9017-4d35ac42dea1 [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] | | Bertie >| >| >| > <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message >| >| >| > news:f40edb8b-1cb7-43b6-9017-4d35ac42dea1 [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] >| >| Bertie S' OK k00kieboi. Bertie | >| >| "Mick" <@_#`~#@.^net> wrote in news:8%bBk.11295$Il.314 | @newsfe09.iad: [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] | | Bertie > Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel around and > helps rinse trapped droplets to the drain area. Best done with plenty of air underneath you. JJ >> Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel >> around and helps rinse trapped droplets to the drain area. > > Best done with plenty of air underneath you. Most of Maxie's air is betwixt his ears. Bertie | >> Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel | >> around and helps rinse trapped droplets to the drain area. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] | | Bertie >| >> Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel >| >> around and helps rinse trapped droplets to the drain area. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >| >| Bertie see? Bertie | >| >> Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel | >| >> around and helps rinse trapped droplets to the drain area. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] | | Bertie | > Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel around and | > helps rinse trapped droplets to the drain area. | | Best done with plenty of air underneath you. | | JJ Best done during preflight as well. >| > Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel >| > around [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Best done during preflight as well. Thanks for your buttkissing fanboi. A little higher, you missed a dingleberry. Bertie | >| > Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel | >| > around [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] | | Bertie >| >| > Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel >| >| > around [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >| >| A little higher, you missed a dingleberry. A little lower, you kissed a corn | >| >| > Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel | >| >| > around [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] | | A little lower, you kissed a corn >| >| >| > Carefully rocking the wings, from the wing tip, sloshes the fuel >| >| >| > around [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >| >| A little lower, you kissed a corn A little to the left you pissed your pants | >| >| "Mick" <@_#`~#@.^net> wrote in news:MEbBk.11255$Il.8541 | @newsfe09.iad: [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] | | A little to the left you pissed your pants Nah, that's your job Squirty Pissdrip. >| >| >| "Mick" <@_#`~#@.^net> wrote in news:MEbBk.11255$Il.8541 >| @newsfe09.iad: [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Nah, that's your job Squirty Pissdrip. Nah, that's your nob maxine tirebiter Bertie | >| "Mick" <#$$#@%%%.^^^> wrote in news:PvFBk.28727$rV4.16245 | @newsfe03.iad: [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] | | Bertie | "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in news:baaaeed8-05e4-498d- | 8788-4e035cbed203@x35g2000hsb.googlegroups.com: [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] | | Bertie You better start sucking up and acting like a contributor, you dumb a.s. Should have watched more of the movie though, it would have been more convincing. Pretty clear you didn't see much it. >| "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in >| news:baaaeed8-05e4-498d- [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > You better start sucking up and acting like a contributor, you dumb > a.s. Oh yes sir. mr fjukkktard. > Should have watched more of the movie though, it would have been more > convincing. Pretty clear you didn't see much it. Pretty clear you have your head so firmly up your own butt you're licking your tonsils from the back. Bertie | >| "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in | >| news:baaaeed8-05e4-498d- [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] | | Bertie | >| "atlieb@gmail.com" <atlieb@gmail.com> wrote in | >| news:baaaeed8-05e4-498d- [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] | | Bertie >Today's flight, figured to video how I preflight my plane. Comments >here or on the video most welcomed. Always nice to hear input to make >me a safer pilot! I Haven't flown an airplane for around 20+ years but I remember most of the preflight procedure from memory. One thing we did was after taking the fuel sample, we would chuck it out on the ground. You make reference to EPA's take on that. I'm certain there are recommendations against- if not outright prohibitions on tossing fuel on the ground nowadays. What are current approaches to fuel sample disposal and such. > I Haven't flown an airplane for around 20+ years but I remember most of the > preflight procedure from memory. One thing we did was after taking the fuel [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > on tossing fuel on the ground nowadays. > What are current approaches to fuel sample disposal and such. Fuel at $8.00+ per gallon is too precious to "chuck on the ground". There is a device known as a Gatt Jar that one holds up to the sump to drain a fuel sample. The top of the Gatt Jar has a lid with a fine mesh strainer, which is attached to a large (0.5 l) plastic bottle to hold the fuel. The fuel is then poured back into the tank through the filler cap. Some states have environmental laws against "chucking it on the ground"due to the lead content and potential contamination. >Fuel at $8.00+ per gallon is too precious to "chuck on the ground". >There is a device known as a Gatt Jar I haven't found anything on the web about gatt jar and aviation fuel. How does potential water contamination get separated? > >Fuel at $8.00+ per gallon is too precious to "chuck on the ground". > >There is a device known as a Gatt Jar > I haven't found anything on the web about gatt jar and aviation fuel. > How does potential water contamination get separated? http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&did=19&product_id=1821 This fuel tester allows you to put preflight fuel samples back into your airplane (a great alternative to tossing sampled fuel onto the ground: a practice now discouraged by the EPA). Sample and check your fuel as always. Then, as sampled fuel is returned to the tank, a unique, built-in screen separates solids and non-petroleum contaminants, so only clean, pure fuel is returned to the tank. Reversible sump actuator fits both pin and petcock actuators. Wide mouth collector helps protect hands and clothing. Resilient plastic construction makes the GATS Jar virtually indestructible with normal handling. |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2009 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.