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View Poll Results: Have you ever caught a problem during pre-flight?
Nope, never found any issues. 20 6.21%
Yes, only minor issues 134 41.61%
Yes, and once was an issue that could have cause major problems. 89 27.64%
Yes, and more than once I have caught major issues. 79 24.53%
Voters: 322. You may not vote on this poll

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  #21  
Old 10-19-2011, 12:17 PM
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videobobk videobobk is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Near Scipio, in Southern Indiana
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I flew a rental 172 to a not-to-far distant airport, and on departure, it wouldn't answer a mag check. One bad mag. Since the same FBO operated this airport, I asked for another plane. He wanted me to fly that one back (the maintenance shop was at the original A/P) but I refused. That plane dead-sticked into a closed airport between the two later in the day...

I have found a few things, most not serious, on our 9A. A bird's nest was the only serious thing.

Bob
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  #22  
Old 10-19-2011, 12:21 PM
P51Matt P51Matt is offline
 
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Location: Lees Summit, MO
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I was going to go up in a C172 when i noticed that the right aleron hinge pins was not secure. And it had been flying for 2 months.
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  #23  
Old 10-19-2011, 01:03 PM
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flyboy1963 flyboy1963 is offline
 
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Location: Lake Country, B.C. Canada
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Default what is a preflight?

....not meaning to hijack the thread, just asking a question;

if your aircraft has been sitting out in the open at the airfield for a couple months, do you do the same preflight as you would if you flew it yesterday, and it's been in your locked heated hangar, and you have the only key.
Of course not.
but ....why not?
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Last edited by flyboy1963 : 10-19-2011 at 01:04 PM. Reason: sp
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  #24  
Old 10-19-2011, 01:17 PM
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Flyfalcons Flyfalcons is offline
 
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Location: Bonney Lake, WA
Posts: 295
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Took a plane from a place where we have maintenance performed and noticed the horizontal stab was halfway between the up and down position (it only has two positions). Well the H-stab on this plane moves on hydraulic power, and as it turned out, the hydraulic reservoir was completely empty. Would have made for an interesting passenger leg.

This, and others, are in addition to the many times I have found something lacking in an engine runup, electrical systems check, etc, not including little stuff like burned out lights or tires showing threads.
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  #25  
Old 10-19-2011, 01:38 PM
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mv031161 mv031161 is offline
 
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We all agree that the worst aircraft are the ones used by multiple pilots. Those are the ones needed a good throughout Pre flight without taking anything for granted...I have found all kinds of things in rental units. Leaking struts, buckled firewals, broken belts, birds nest, crack LG doors, hangar rash, etc etc etc......
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  #26  
Old 10-19-2011, 02:51 PM
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DanH DanH is offline
 
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Location: 08A
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Thirty years ago I was the most junior birdman at a large Piper dealer/distributor. The boss wanted all the inventory flown 1/2 hour each month, and in the middle of a south Alabama summer I didn't need to fight anybody for the free flight time. I would do all the singles and one of the distributor demo pilots would do the twins. Lots of preflight inspections, lots of hot airplanes. When I got mine done I'd go help with the twins, which took more time. More engines, more avionics, more things to check, preflight and inflight. And I needed the experience.

One hot evening I walked up to a Seminole just as the demo guy was climbing aboard. I jumped in, strapped in, and asked him how the preflight went. He said fine, no squawks, and showed me the pitot cover. So off we go. A mile or two south of the airport the engine on my side gave a ladylike cough, then quit stone dead just like it ran out of fuel.....yeah, exactly like it ran out of fuel. I leaned over to study the fuel quantity gauges, and sure enough, the right one pointed at "empty."

He never did a preflight, or at least he never bothered to look in the tanks. He was too hot, too tired, and it was his last airplane of the day. The right quick drain had a slow drippy leak, and in a month's time all the fuel had disappeared.....all but the few gallons which got us to 1500 feet.

Good lesson for a junior birdman. Should we go flying together, please don't be insulted if I preflight your airplane, even if you just did. I'm not picking at it. I just figure everyone is human, even senior aviators.
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  #27  
Old 10-19-2011, 03:01 PM
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Av8torTom Av8torTom is offline
 
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Location: Yardley, PA
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Default Stabilator

Was preflighting my Cherokee which always included moving the stabilator through it's range of motion by hand. It didn't seem like the amount of up stabilator travel was enough. I looked down into the tail and couldn't see anything out of order, then looked under the instrument panel at the control column and saw that the large vacuum hose had been displaced by the mechanic who had just installed a blind altitude encoder and had not been secured back into its original position. The displaced hose was preventing the yoke from coming full aft by about 6 inches.

I almost dismissed the apparent lack of stabilator travel as nothing - the lesson learned is that when something doesn't feel right on your airplane, there's probably a good reason...
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  #28  
Old 10-19-2011, 03:22 PM
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mill2978 mill2978 is offline
 
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Location: McMinville, OR (KMMV)
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I had taken a couple of friends up to Jackson Hole for skiing in a Rental 182, the trip up was uneventful. On preflight for the way back I put the flaps down to 10 degrees and the right flap came all the way down, the push rod had snapped!!!
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  #29  
Old 10-19-2011, 03:24 PM
Phlyan Pan Phlyan Pan is offline
 
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Location: Rochester, NY
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These are all great stories about mishaps avoided (or sometimes not avoided). They're a great reminder to never take anything for granted when playing with gravity. I originally intended it only as a curiosity but maybe it should be moved to the safety forum?

{I was thinking the same thing...done! Ironflight}

Last edited by Ironflight : 10-19-2011 at 03:48 PM.
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  #30  
Old 10-19-2011, 04:32 PM
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az_gila az_gila is offline
 
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Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Phlyan Pan View Post
These are all great stories about mishaps avoided (or sometimes not avoided). They're a great reminder to never take anything for granted when playing with gravity. I originally intended it only as a curiosity but maybe it should be moved to the safety forum?

{I was thinking the same thing...done! Ironflight}
...and notice how many of the incidents mentioned were the first flight after a mechanic had done work on the plane...
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