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:

• Pilots should thoroughly prepare their aircraft after winter by cleaning and inspecting for wear, corrosion, and damage to components like tires and brakes, ideally with a mechanic's assistance.
• Pilot readiness requires a comprehensive ground school review of aviation basics, mentally rehearsing procedures, and ensuring all navigation equipment and batteries are current.
• It is strongly recommended to fly with an instructor for initial post-winter flights to refresh skills, focusing particularly on takeoff and landing, and to practice various maneuvers without performance pressure.
• Solidify readiness by planning and executing a real flight, allowing pilots to apply all reviewed knowledge and skills in practice.

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