Preflight Inspections

Aircraft manufacturers would have us perform a recommended preflight inspection before every flight. Sometimes, that’s necessary and appropriate, especially when we’re unfamiliar with the airplane, it’s a rental and/or we find something on a cursory examination making us want to dive down deeper into determining whether the airplane really is airworthy. On the other side of the coin, you may want to go far beyond the handbook’s recommendations. One example is when the airplane is just out of the maintenance shop. The trick is knowing how close a look the aircraft really needs One answer is experience, but that’s not something all of us have in abundance.

Key Takeaways:

• Pre-flight inspections should be dynamic, adapting in depth based on factors like aircraft familiarity, operational history, specific aircraft type considerations, and particularly after maintenance.
• A comprehensive pre-flight extends beyond a simple walk-around, including a "big picture" assessment, detailed exterior checks for damage or FOD, and a thorough cockpit inspection of instruments, controls, and safety equipment.
• Pilots are solely responsible for their pre-flight, which must be conducted meticulously and without distraction, prioritizing vigilance for potential issues, especially those that often arise post-maintenance.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

See a mistake? Contact us.