Removing engine cowling for pre flight

[Guest Pioneer200]

How many of you remove the engine cowling before flying to check for birds nests , engine mount problems, loose hoses etc (in australia snakes??)

 

It is not something I was taught to do but with bird nesting season here it is probably wise

 

Even if there is no evidence of birds in the hanger.

 

 

[shags_j]

Tecnam I fly you have to to do a fuel drain and check the oil.

 

Good to be able to check engine mountings wiring etc. Makes me feel a little better. I have a situation in a cherokee I flew before where during the check I found (By being able to fully open the cowling) a loose hose (not sure what it was for).

 

I always found it interesting that the jab pilots just use the oil flap and that's it.

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Not true Shags. Depends on which model you fly. I'm still with the basic LSA55 and the cowl ALWAYS comes off for a full check, even if the CFI was last to fly it.

 

 

[shags_j]

Sorry was just my impression with my only Jab experience being one school and only on 160 or 230 (so in other words a very uneducated comment).

 

Cheers,

 

J

 

 

[Guest Wigg]

We have a skyfox & also my wife & I both went to a flying school in Moorabbin, we were only taught to open the oil & coolant lids when doing our preflight checks.

 

 

[Guest Pioneer200]

reason I ask this question I was at a local Airfield few weeks back and the owner instructs in his Rans S6. He had already had the cowling off in the morning and removed a birds nest and when we were there around mid afternoon he again removed a large amount of nesting material.

 

:drums::drums::drums: My other hobbie

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Pays to make up some bungs for all the holes including the exhaust. surprising just how small an opening they can get into. sitting outside the hanger having coffee break and spied a starling that landed on the tail of a C172. had a bit of grass in its beak it had a look around to see who was watching and then slipped thru the gap into the tailcone. was evicted shortly after. he cam back a couple of times then sat a plastic owl on the tail. that moved her on.

 

had a experience of my own with the Lazair. i noticed that it developed a turn to the right not to bad and it sat right wing low. scratched my head and wondered for a while. then during some work on it i notice that the leading edge skin felt solid when squeezed, i was looking for displaced foam ribs in the leding edge. so i peeled the covering back and opened up the tip of the leading edge. ended up digging out almost a kilo of dried mud that those pesky wasps had put in there.

 

Ozzie

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I tend to consider it a 'daily' item, but will do it more often if I feel like it, or want to have a quick look any time. The lightwing top cowl comes off pretty quick, even though I have fitted an additional two fasteners for additional security.

 

Primarily I'm looking for snakes, missing exhaust springs or exhaust cracks, fuel leaks, or loose electrical wires.

 

For the Tecnam drivers...be doubly sure you properly fasten both side latches on both sides.

 

I went for a quick ride with a friend in his P92, and he had not properly secured the latches on one side during his preflight. At about 250 ft after takeoff, one side blew up and lightly contacted the rear of the prop blades, which produced a light shower of fiberglass particles past the cockpit. It is character building to say the least, and I cannot recommend it !. It is very hard not to notice the engine cowl flapping up and down in front of the windshield !!. We made a safe return to the strip, but the potential for much worse is there for sure.....................................................

 

 

[dazza 38]

At Airsport Boonah, every pilot takes off the top cowling (golf), or lifts up both sides (echo)for inspection, we all gurgle the engine and check the oil, as apart of the preflight inspection.Then fuel drain etc etc I think it might be company policy. Cheers

 

 

[dazza 38]

Not true Shags. Depends on which model you fly. I'm still with the basic LSA55 and the cowl ALWAYS comes off for a full check, even if the CFI was last to fly it.

We also always took the cowling off at caloundra as well when completing a preflight, on their LSA 55 jabba.:thumb_up:

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Most engine cowlings are now fairly easy to remove and replace quickly. Compared to GA they are a breeze....no reason really not to have a good look now and then...those damn trikes however have got it on the rest of us of course.........:thumb_up: