Aircraft Awakenings

Now that winter snows have passed and the foliage is turning green, its time to get out and go flying. If you havent committed aviation since the seasons first snowfall, its going to take some effort to get both you and your craft ready to go. You might presume when pilots go out to resume flying in the spring after a winter hiatus theres an increase of certain kinds of accidents. An examination of the accident records for 1996 and 1997 and again for 2003 just didnt show any patterns. Runway loss of control (RLOC) accidents account for a significant portion of general aviation accidents throughout the year but theres no particular spike during the months many of us are out trying to knock off the rust. If there is an increase of RLOC accidents in the spring, its lost in the noise of the overall increase in flying.

Key Takeaways:

• Despite accident data not showing a specific increase in spring, a thorough review of both aircraft and pilot readiness is crucial for safe flying after a winter hiatus.
• Aircraft preparation should include a detailed physical inspection for corrosion, wear, and proper lubrication, often requiring professional mechanic attention.
• Pilot preparation involves a comprehensive ground school review, updating navigation tools, mental walk-throughs of procedures, and a strong recommendation to fly with an instructor for initial flights to regain proficiency.

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