MAG checks

[shafs64]

Do Pilots in this forum do mag checks at all there take off points or just at there Home field.

 

The reason for asking is I was at Airfield today and watched a RAA aircraft arrive Pilot got had a chat with a few people and the hung around for a while then left did no run ups and i also didn't see a controls full and free and there was a RAA instructor with him.

 

 

[Guernsey]

If I get out of the aircraft for five minutes or five hours I always do preflight checks including run-ups.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Yeh i do mag check alwayz prety standard practis still I reckon. Instructor coulda been distracted

 

 

[mlpinaus]

Do a full run up including mag checks on a new start up after every full stop. Also do a mag check at turn off itself after a run.

 

Marcus

 

 

[turboplanner]

Shafs, you were looking at the cloddy end of aviation, Darwin's rump. That goes for the instructor too - what a disgrace!

 

I would hope your Instructor had drummed into you to do a mag check on the ground before any flight, and after a run as mlpinaus said and the reasons why.

 

 

[shafs64]

Shafs, you were looking at the cloddy end of aviation, Darwin's rump. That goes for the instructor too - what a disgrace!I would hope your Instructor had drummed into you to do a mag check on the ground before any flight, and after a run as mlpinaus said and the reasons why.

When i first started flying the CFI would hit us with his clip board if we screwed up. And god forbid if we didn't do proper mag check on every TO and shut down. And now i know why he did it. And while we are on the subject they didn't use the whole runway for TO. And my old CFI would give us a big slap with that clip board for that too.

 

 

[Neil_S]

When i first started flying the CFI would hit us with his clip board if we screwed up. And god forbid if we didn't do proper mag check on every TO and shut down. And now i know why he did it. And while we are on the subject they didn't use the whole runway for TO. And my old CFI would give us a big slap with that clip board for that too.

Hi Shafs,

 

I think your CFI was absolutely right on both counts!

 

Cheers

 

Neil

 

 

[Ultralights]

Is it possible the rumpus were done at a lower RPM than you expected? The manual I have with my 912 states runups can be done at 3000 rpm, and on grass, you can use 3000 rpm just to taxi. If taxiing on wet boggy ground, I will do my runup while taxiing

 

 

[facthunter]

You can do what U/L says, but I would not do it universally. ( nor would HE suggest you do). It could be bad for low hours students , (distraction)and on a smooth taxiway or downhill is hard on the brakes. It must be followed by he full , or at least an adequate and approved, pre-taleoff check . Once you have moved anything away from normal???? Have any of you found the switches are not "both"?

 

The switches check after flying is a logical thing to do and I don't do it at much above idle. It has a maintenance aspect but not a safety aspect and do what your organisation asks there.

 

Regarding using the full length, Good advice generally. At some LOONG runways you mght make 1500 feet by the runway end and will have turned x-wind and downwind by then, so , do you need it all then as you are unlikely to be able to use it in any event. Remember that you are the PIC and can "require", anything you see as operationally necessary, same as not accepting a downwind .. You may get a delay,but it's your call. Nev

 

 

[Piet Fil]

Same as the others, I always do full checks on every start no matter how long, or short, the shutdown was and check the mags at idle prior to shutdown.

 

I am disapointed that any instructor would let anyone get away without doing this.

 

Phil

 

 

[turboplanner]

In GA I was taught to always use the full length of the runway because it could give you a straight ahead option with an engine failure after take off.

 

I have been a passenger when a winch cable failed on a glider, and the pilot had enough runway to put us straight down.

 

So I'd rather be making my crosswind turn before the end of the strip rather than having to decide whether I'm going to wipe myself out on the end fence, or end up in a bog or a paddock full of tree stumps off the end of the field.

 

It's just another little safety tool that separates the good pilots from the hacks who rely on luck.

 

 

[facthunter]

I'm not of the second category. I did say LOONG and there are some. Nev

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Yes I'll always do a warm up, run-up, and mag checks prior to every take-off., and often, but not always do mag-checks at shutdown.

 

As far as excerising your flight controls fully before takeoff, it is actually a requirement per the regsulations to do so.

 

When I learnt to fly in the States it was not actually a requirement, but activly taught by instructors as it should be for every takeoff...Both the above are mandatory items in my book prior to taking the runway..........................................................................Maj...

 

 

[shafs64]

I did most of my trainning at Piont cook and we where blessed with very long runways! but we still used the whole runway there as runway behind you is not much use after a engine failure. The place i witnessed this had a shorter RW

 

 

[Ultralights]

I have used partial length of the available take off distance available on a few occasions, today being one, runway is 1300 Mrs long, taxiway onto runway is about 300 Mrs from the end requiring a backtrack, today, 1 aircraft on final, one on base and 2 on downwind, 15 kt wind down the strip, 1 up, 1/4 fuel, I only needed about 30 Mrs to get airborne. So I made an intersection departure so as to not force a go around of a student, and also with 1000 Mrs of runway ahead, I would be at circuit height before the end of the strip, So no risk in not having runway available if anything went wrong, plenty of height to turn back or complete a circuit onto the cross strip.

 

Also take into consideration to traffic joining midfield crosswind, not a good idea to depart, and climb to circuit height and turn crosswind in front of someone joining midfield crosswind at the same height. I do believe there is a minimum distance from the end of the runway before you can turn crosswind.

 

 

[Guest pookemon]

When i first started flying the CFI would hit us with his clip board if we screwed up. And god forbid if we didn't do proper mag check on every TO and shut down. And now i know why he did it. And while we are on the subject they didn't use the whole runway for TO. And my old CFI would give us a big slap with that clip board for that too.

We sometimes roll from the intersection at YBLT (not alot of runway beyond it anyway on 18) when it helps keep the traffic flowing - and take offs are sometimes done part way down the runway when the gliders are active (200ft Threshold displacement) to keep out of their way (even though the Notams state that the displaced threshold is only for landings - and they actually use the grass besides the runway).

 

But then we have 1.2km of runway, so there's a bit of room to play with. And on 18 we also have about an extra 500m of runway over the fence (could be longer - YBLT was made for WWII bombers).

 

As for Mag checks (or rather Tmpfisch) - I do them every time. With an engine that has 1450+ hrs on the clock it's a good habit to have! And part of Tmpfisch is the Trim, which is always different on landing to take off.

 

 

[shafs64]

I would say that you are right about very long runways and have sone room to play with.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

There are a few things that are LEGISLATED you must do. Fuel/water checks after every refueling and before the first flight of the day etc, and you MUST do a control check before every takeoff.

 

Gust locks left in, control locks left in, pax doing seatbelts up and snagging controls, engineers installing controls REVERSED are all but a few ways aeroplanes have been taken down over the years.

 

I did a control full free correct sense check in a gazelle one day and as i pulled the controls back the stick stayed there. I couldn't push it forward any more. A nut at the base of the stick had wedged against the frame. If that had happend in the air we would certainly have been killed.

 

As for doing Mag checks, well, I can't think of ANY reason not to. Instructors should set a better example than this....

 

 

[gareth lacey]

in my early lessons it was reinforced at every start and when we landed, now it is part of the regimen that i do when i go flying CFI can be cross if you forget ,so for me it will be for any aircraft that i may get to fly in

 

Cheers gareth:thumb up:

 

 

[motzartmerv]

It all comes down to airmanship. I saw a bloke yesterday climbing up on the strut of a 172 doing a tank dip. Problem was the engine was running. Darwin awards???

 

 

[fly_tornado]

So did you call him out and tell him about his error?

 

 

[motzartmerv]

What do you think?

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Ultralights, Sounds like you exercised good judgement in making your decision to do the intersection take-off. You were certainly not doing anything unsafe, and were exercising good airmanship in respect to the operational needs of other pilots in the circut. Well done.

 

Reminds me of my PPL checkride in a C152, I was first at the hold point, two behind and one on a 1 mile final, all checks done and ready to aviate. Tower came in asking if I could accept an immediate take off !!....The examiner beside me did nothing, I looked up final at the approaching aircraft, saw I had plenty of time and replied " yes lining up for immediate take off" which went fine. Climbing through about 300' the examiner said "nice decision making there, and you were ready to go also"....It was a good start to what is normally a pretty nervous flight !....Rapid and correct decision making is all part of being a good safe pilot imop......................................................................Maj...

 

 

[facthunter]

You are helping the flow of traffic in those circumstances. If a question like this is put to you, it's up to you to accept or reject it.

 

Please note that a clearance to enter the runway and to take-off is still required. The question does not give you the clearance. People have been caught out there . ( I'm not suggesting Maj did go without one, but I thought I would point that out). Nev

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Yes, seems silly that you would have to get clearance and readback, but very true nev.