Flight schools and gas pumping

Wax on. Wax off

But seriously, if really dirty flush it with water before using a towel. Then only use plexiglass safe spray cleaner. Not that complicated.
 
Racerx said:
Was told up and down. Not circular.
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I was instructed to use only micro fiber and not paper towels. And either left to right or up and down also.
Now that is how I wash all windows, glass included. Seems to work better even on glass.
I was showed it, first lesson because the windshield were washed by almost every student. They got dirty often flying all day and night. It was a busy school.

I find newspaper best for cleaning glass windows.
I saved all my Today newspapers for car and truck window cleaning from Oshkosh.

We haven't gotten a newspaper at home for 15-20 years
 
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ArrowFlyer86 said:
Now I am concerned. I've been cleaning mine for 6 years without ill effect, so hopefully it's the right way... But I can't say I was ever given actual training on doing it. What's the right/wrong way to do it?
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Your POH probably has instructions in it.

Wrong way is anything involving paper towels or glass cleaner.
 
The “up and down” recommendation is to minimize horizontal scratches that could result from side to side or circular rubbing. The latter would be hard to see through heading into the sun. With a good microfiber and a good plexiglass cleaner it’s not that much of an issue. I still use up and down anyways.
 
Hang 4 said:
The “up and down” recommendation is to minimize horizontal scratches that could result from side to side or circular rubbing. The latter would be hard to see through heading into the sun. With a good microfiber and a good plexiglass cleaner it’s not that much of an issue. I still use up and down anyways.
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Gotcha, thanks. Yeah I've normally used a cloth to clean it but have used a shop towel more than once.

Normally when I'm flying directly into the rising/setting sun it's being blinded by the sun that's been an issue for visibility, not any windshield issues. But good to know...
 
Hang 4 said:
The “up and down” recommendation is to minimize horizontal scratches that could result from side to side or circular rubbing. The latter would be hard to see through heading into the sun. With a good microfiber and a good plexiglass cleaner it’s not that much of an issue. I still use up and down anyways.
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This. I worked the line for years and we were taught to avoid circular or side to side motions, and to never use paper. Up and down minimizes tiny horizontal scratches.
 
Gary Ward said:
I was instructed to use only micro fiber and not paper towels.
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:yeahthat: Paper is very abrasive, which is why people who make a living with scissors (seamstresses, hairdressers) will throw a fit if you use good scissors to cut paper. I use only cotton rags (clean shop rags, old T-shirts, etc.) to clean my windshield.
Gary Ward said:
I find newspaper best for cleaning glass windows.
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That's the standard for cleaning soot off wood stove windows. It's OK because glass is harder than paper.
 
Gary Ward said:
I was instructed to use only micro fiber and not paper towels.
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+1 on paper towels. As a matter of fact, the flight school specifically said "use only the yellow colored towel in the supply bin".

And ditto on the up-down and not left-right and not circular.

Gary Ward said:
I find newspaper best for cleaning glass windows.
I saved all my Today newspapers for car and truck window cleaning from Oshkosh.
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I find the 3-pass method using this stuff works quite well (I hear Viva paper towels as a cheaper alternative, particularly the "Multi-Surface" variant).
productimage1.webp
 
RussR said:
Perhaps I'm a bit more charitable, but without any training or exposure to either, both of them can seem daunting.

I think it's safe to say that your typical self serve fuel station that looks like this:

View attachment 153810

Is somewhat more daunting that your typical auto gas pump that looks like this:

View attachment 153811
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I’ve been at this for 33 years and I still come across self-serve setups that I swear I need a degree in petroleum engineering to figure out. I’ve swiped my card, but then I need to flip three switches in the proper sequence (one of which I think starts up a mini refinery) or no dino juice comes out of the pointy end.
 
Brad Z said:
I’ve been at this for 33 years and I still come across self-serve setups that I swear I need a degree in petroleum engineering to figure out. I’ve swiped my card, but then I need to flip three switches in the proper sequence (one of which I think starts up a mini refinery) or no dino juice comes out of the pointy end.
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The old system at my home drome you had to text someone to get a code. Then you could pump fuel. Unless you needed to reset a switch inside the fbo that nobody knows about
 
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I remember being taught to attach the grounding cable back in 1991, so I must have been taught how to do self-serve fueling.
 
Gilbert Buettner said:
This. I worked the line for years and we were taught to avoid circular or side to side motions, and to never use paper. Up and down minimizes tiny horizontal scratches.
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I have a running battle with local CAP squadron that uses paper towels. Soft paper towels but still paper towels. Had to teach a member a couple months ago the 182 is not a car, does not have tempered glass windows.
 
What's worse, though? A fresh paper towel every time, with fresh windshield cleaner, or that rag/microfiber cloth that's been used multiple times, rubbing the old grime on the windshield?
 
AV8R_87 said:
What's worse, though? A fresh paper towel every time, with fresh windshield cleaner, or that rag/microfiber cloth that's been used multiple times, rubbing the old grime on the windshield?
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Neither. I have a bag of clean baby diapers. Use once, goes into the other bag. When other bag is full, take it home and toss into washer.
 
Racerx said:
You haven't read a piper poh have you? A bit spartan on information. Absolutely nothing on grass ops.
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Well you sure haven't because I already knew the POH had instructions on cleaning the windshield before I posted. I don't know how grass fields entered the picture.
 
dmspilot said:
Well you sure haven't because I already knew the POH had instructions on cleaning the windshield before I posted. I don't know how grass fields entered the picture.
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My early Cherokee poh certainly didn't have anything about windscreen cleaning. Ppl examiner made it a point to ask about landing roll in grass knowing piper doesn't have any data for it.
 
Racerx said:
You haven't read a piper poh have you? A bit spartan on information. Absolutely nothing on grass ops.
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Heck, the sole reference to emergency procedures in the manual for my 1960 Cessna is in reference to a stuck autopilot. Not one word about power loss or fire.
 
ateamer said:
Heck, the sole reference to emergency procedures in the manual for my 1960 Cessna is in reference to a stuck autopilot. Not one word about power loss or fire.
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Same. My 1966 Cherokee C's AFM has a single mention of an EP, and that's for the Autoflite autopilot. The POH has no EPs of any kind. Different times, I guess.

Actually, there is some windshield stuff in this POH, which was published in 1964:

"A certain amount of care is needed to keep the plexiglass windows clean and unmarred. The following procedure is recommended:
1. Flush with clean water and dislodge excess dirt, mud, etc., with your hand.
2. Wash with mild soap and water. Use a soft cloth or sponge, do not rub.
3. Remove oil, grease or sealing compounds with a soft cloth and kerosene.
4. After cleaning, apply a thin coat of hard polishing wax. Rub lightly with a soft cloth.
5. A severe scratch or mar may be removed using jeweler's rouge to rub out the scratch, smoothing, and then applying wax."

Well, there you are. Hands, soap, kerosene, polishing wax, and jeweler's rouge. Nothing we don't all do on a weekly basis anyway.
 
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My PPL instructor never showed me how to fuel a plane. I was lucky to be walking by when a stranger was fueling their plane, so I stopped, watched and asked questions. It's not in the curriculum and should be.
 
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