From The Logbook: Becoming A Test Pilot Once Every Year
By
Jim Trusty
Reprinted with permission from the
FAA Aviation News
Is it time for an
annual inspection?
Ever dream of being
a Test Pilot?
The first flight
after the annual inspection of your airplane can either be totally
uneventful or a very busy flight. I have known and trusted my mechanic
for years, and he seldom misses anything. This is good because live,
happy, and satisfied pilot/customers can recommend you to others and
then return the next time to spend more money. Even so, you should
always expect the worst and be prepared. Just think about this
statement while I use my case as an example.
Four strangers to my
aircraft checked, filled, turned, tightened, touched, replaced,
repaired, removed, looked, pondered, and evaluated over 100 items on a
factory inspection checklist and then complied with the latest
Airworthiness Directives from problems encountered in the last year or
so with its make and model. Two of these young men were A&P trainees
with absolutely no experience as mechanics.
Some things that
fellow pilots have experienced over the years as they left from the
annual include, but are not limited to, the following: engine oil not
refilled, rags left in gear door wells, fuses pulled, battery
disconnected, spark plugs left out on one side, screws not replaced in
cowling cover, brakes not bled, fuel turned off, hydraulic fluid not
refilled, gear handle in the UP position while the gear is actually
DOWN, and tools left on the engine, in the floor under the cabin, and
under the seats and carpets.
I might also add
that no pilots were injured, crashed, or died because of the foregoing
list of mistakes. And in testimony to the hard work that our mechanics
do, I really feel that it is impossible to do what they do and combine
that with what we do to the airplane during the year and not have an
adventure occasionally. But we should be apprehensive...RIGHT?
If they tell you
about a problem area that required parts, time, and research and that
they think the problem was caught just in time, then you have been
forewarned to watch that area much more closely than you normally
would. Some would argue that the A&P should be required to fly the
aircraft before they release it back to the owner and even others
would say that makes as much sense as having the owner participate in
the actual work of doing the annual inspection. NO THANKS!
As a flight
instructor who does an awful lot of proficiency training, flight
reviews, and transition work on complex/high performance aircraft, I
have found that pilots who DO NOT fly on a regular basis are generally
not as ready as they should be to react to an 'unexpected happening'
in the air. When I review emergency procedures (such as gear, radio,
and vacuum failures and add fuel transfer mistakes), I find that most
pilots are not as well versed in recovery procedures, as they should
be.
This is clearly the
fault of the pilot. We get a little complacent and start comparing
flying with driving and mistakenly think if something goes wrong that
we will have plenty of time to just pull over to the side of the sky
and call someone to come fix it. WRONG! I never cease to be amazed
when reading accident reports from the NTSB and others just how much
of a role pilots often play in what happened and how with just a
normal amount of specific training the entire thing could have turned
out differently.
Careful selection of
a mechanic based on known skill levels for your particular aircraft
will not keep something from happening, but it certainly couldn't
hurt. Do not make the mistake many pilots make of mechanic selection
based solely on the cost of the annual. This is certainly inviting
trouble. Bring a squawk list with you and explain the items included.
Work with them, especially since it is to your benefit.
The list of people
hurt and/or killed in aviation accidents does not have to include your
name. You really have a choice in this decision. Is it time for an
annual inspection? Ever dream of being a Test Pilot? Let's be careful
up there.
Jim Trusty was the FAA/Aviation Industry National Flight Instructor of
the Year (1997) and still works full-time as a pilot/flight instructor
at MQY in Tennesse.
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