The rule passed down from a father active in aviation to boys of teen age learning to fly an 85-hp Cessna 140: Never tie down or hangar the plane after a flight without topping off the tanks. It was good advice for the two of us flying the same plane: courtesy, good habits and prevention of water condensation in hot, humid Kansas.
Always perform thorough fuel checks, including dipsticking, as sight gauges can be misleading, and never assume the previous pilot has topped off the tanks.
In an engine-sputtering emergency, a slight wing rocking might temporarily restore fuel flow, potentially allowing a critical maneuver like a 180-degree turn back to the runway.
When practicing emergency procedures like power-off landings, exercise extreme caution, ensure the engine is "cleared" (not overly leaned), and always maintain a margin for error to prevent practice from becoming a real emergency.
The rule passed down from a father active in aviation to boys of teen age learning to fly an 85-hp Cessna 140: “Never tie down or hangar the plane after a flight without topping off the tanks.” It was good advice for the two of us flying the same plane: courtesy, good habits and prevention of water condensation in hot, humid Kansas.
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