Expanding Your Preflights

‘Kick the tires and light the fires’ only works in the movies. The rest of us should tailor inspections to the aircraft’s needs.

Ryan Motte

Monday, January 13, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Sometimes, two sets of eyes are needed to evaluate the aircraft’s status, especially if it’s coming out of maintenance or inspection, or even if you’re simply looking at something you’ve never seen before. [Credit: FLYING Archive]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots often become complacent with pre-flight inspections, but enhanced vigilance is crucial, particularly after maintenance, severe weather exposure, or long periods of inactivity.
After maintenance or repairs, thoroughly inspect worked-on areas for errors like incorrect installations or forgotten tools, and conduct system checks before and after engine start.
Following severe weather, meticulously check for damage such as hail or wind-induced issues, and ensure complete removal of ice and snow.
Combat complacency by consciously taking more time for inspections in critical situations, and consider incorporating post-flight checks and optional test flights for added safety.

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I recently had the pleasure of talking to a mechanic who ran an extremely well-respected repair shop at a local airport. Folks will fly thousands of miles in their piston singles to receive this top-of-the-line care, and I get it. Once you find someone like a mechanic, barber or AME you can trust, you do whatever is in your power to stick with them. Our conversation turned to some questionable behavior he had witnessed, both from pilots who needed work done and mechanics who performed work that he needed to redo. Nothing worse than getting something fixed, only to have to take it somewhere else because it was never fixed at all.

His stories varied in severity, from the classic rag or wrench in the cowling to flight controls being installed so movement occurred opposite the pilot’s intention. To top it off, he said the pilots often report they feel the most comfortable hopping into the plane after he gives it the all-clear, because it has been looked over with an extra set of expert eyes.