Preflight Discipline

[AcroGimp]

I am a big believer in procedure, and especially of a thorough preflight.

Today that may have saved my life.

It takes a lot of work to prep the 7KCAB for acro sorties. I have to remove the pilot seat back pad since I wear a backpack chute.

I then take the chocks and other stuff out from behind the back seat and secure the back seat belts/harness.

Then I take the fuel sampler, sik-sak's, sectionals and assorted other stuff that ends up in the door pocket out and clip the 2 page checklist to my 9G kneeboard.

Then I have to tie up the 3rd strap that holds the shoulder straps down which normally slides into the pocket on the back side of the seat so that it doesn't swing around during acro and hit me in the back of the head.

Then I tape my high-tech sighting device to the left side window and install my headset and GoPro audio cables.

Once all that is done, usually in the air conditioned hangar before I push out, I move on to the regular preflight.

During today's preflight I made an interesting discovery. When I checked the right aileron cove where the bellcrank and pushrod are, I found a loose piece of wood. On closer inspection it was a corner block.

I scratched the flight.

I checked the top and bottom rib caps to see if anything was obviously loose or broken and it all seemed fine. Grabbed the owner and we pulled the closest inspection cover, grabbed a flashlight and quickly found it was from the corner of the cove, not a critical item in the owner's opinion and I agree with that.

However, had I not noticed it, it could have jammed the aileron and I was planning on slow rolls, half-Cuban's, loops and spins today. Odds are it would have simply fallen out, or bounced around to some other location - but the thought of possibly jamming the controls was quite a shock.

So keep your preflight discipline up, it really is important.

'Gimp

 

[Zeldman]

Good catch.

 

[Cpt_Kirk]

YOLO.

 

[coloradobluesky]

I preflighted an airplane that had one of it's fuel overflow valves bent in such a way as to hinder the aileron movement. The plane's wing had been pushed into the hangar and bent it over the aileron. Obviously could have been a bad one.

 

[Mistake Not...]

Over and over I see the wisdom in that one item... "FLIGHT CONTROLS - FREE AND CORRECT".

 

[frfly172]

Pre flight,run up check and control check,the only way to go.i favor use of my checklist also. Also when's the last time anyone has reviewed the emergency section of the POH?

 

[champ driver]

That's a good catch on the wood corner block.

I do have a question on the hardware on the aileron hinge though.
I see an AN bolt with a AN310 nut on it, I'm not sure if your 7KCAB is different from my 7AC or not. My 7AC manual calls for a AN 24-14 clevis bolt with a AN320 shear nut in that area.
I'm not saying your plane is wrong, just questioning if the different planes have different hardware in that area.

 

[GCA319]

Pre flight,run up check and control check,the only way to go.i favor use of my checklist also. Also when's the last time anyone has reviewed the emergency section of the POH?

Honestly, by what I've seen on some flight reviews and such that I've given, many pilots out there (most of whom are otherwise good pilots) do not quite meet the mark when it comes to emergency procedures. Especially when it comes to the initial memory items.

To the OP: good catch! A good, thorough preflight has definitely saved many lives. Saved mine once a few years back...Apparently the renter before me forgot to disclose the minor detail of him scraping a wingtip during a botched crosswind landing damaging the tip and aileron. Imagine if I had chosen to skip the preflight?

 

[RyanB]

Very good, thanks for the post, glad all is well!