Down wind checks

[Guest Teenie2]

I personally believe that whilst we are always checking everything as we fly and I don't think there are that many people reading off a checklist as they do it from memory but a paused moment on downwind to collect your thoughts, check everything, I mean everything before you undertake the task of landing where as Murphy says "if it is going to go wrong it will" especially landing, is a good thing to have - irrespective of what kind of aircraft you may fly!

Exactly "check everything",I ,only in my Teenie do not need to use checklists as such ,I just check everything. You cannot have checklists for every individual item.People become so dependent on lists written or from memory that have a tendency to focus on them,and if its not included in a checklist miss a obvious defect or problem.

 

Just for interest Teenie has the heat locked on ,has no visor,the seatbelt cannot be put on in flight so if Ive forgotten to put it on I don't want to know (I'd worry).A very very basic ship .No flaps ,no trim no selectable heat ,no starter ,no alternator ,no radio ,no electrics,no mixture,no prop pitch and only one seat(Which is a piece of foam).

 

Enough said .

 

Have fun

 

 

[Mazda]

I agree it is important to have checks which are relevant to the type - and maybe run through some checks which may not apply to that aircraft but must be committed to memory for other types.

 

Yes, I've heard of harnesses coming undone too, especially in aircraft with a stick that reaches back to the harness.

 

This thread is actually a good reminder of the importance of checks - whether committed to memory or on a check list. Personally I believe basic checks like downwind should be remembered for simple types flown by one crew member, because the circuit area is when you'll need to concentrate on flying and look out for traffic, not look down at a check list. Multi-crew ops with complex aircraft can have a pilot flying while the other pilot runs through the list.

 

Regarding "fuel sufficient" checks, it is to check the correct tank is selected (if it has two tanks) but also to ensure there is sufficient fuel for the go-around. If there's not, you'll have to land of course. Remember too that a pitch up after take off (i.e go-around) with low fuel may lead to fuel flow issues.

 

Now I realise everyone plans to have plenty of reserve, but even experienced multi-crew airline crews have run out of fuel, or come very close to it - which means it could happen to anyone. (Perhaps due to weather or some other problem). I'm sure those crews thought it could never happen to them.

 

 

[Guest thrasher]

In A Sailplane it was an easy one

 

FUST

 

Flaps

 

Undercarriage

 

Speed

 

Trim

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Hmmm - trikes are relatively simple but I think there should be a bit more than that. What about brakes off, sufficient fuel, hand throttle closed, windsock, other traffic for example ?

Hi John,

 

Maybe I did simplify it a tad too much by being too entusiastic about the relative simplicity of trikes, as I do tend to check brakes and hand throttle when straightening the nosewheel in circuit.

 

Windsock/Wind Generator - I check before joining crosswind to determine best runway (and circuit direction when at our private strip).

 

Fuel quantity should not really be a consideration once in circuit within glide of the runways and should be part of flight planning for maximum duration before the flight even starts and during the flight, not moments from it's end.

 

If there's an an undetected leak in flight then I'd have to use a paddock kept within glide as I probably wouldn't make it to circuit area. Hopefully thorough preflights will detect any leaks so that situation can be avoided altogether.

 

Cheers,

 

Glen

 

 

[eastmeg2]

And of course regardless of what you fly (except maybe for balloons - always check for other traffic, even at private strips.