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The Prez Sez
Hi everyone
Another
month gone and still the pesky spring winds are with us. Hopefully we
get better weather next weekend in time for the open house. Eric Fisher
has done a great job of organizing the event but if any one has an idea
of something we may have overlooked let Eric know. If you think of
something we may need on the day, bring it with you. Much better to have
too many tables (for instance) than have none at all. Dust off your
favorite aircraft and bring it out to show or fly, it's going to be a
fun day so let’s all enjoy it.
Thanks to everyone who showed up last
Saturday (April 21st) for the field clean up. I was very impressed with
the number of people who turned out in the bad weather. I was also a
little embarrassed that you all showed up before me, thank you all that
pointed that out to me. The runway looks great without the weeds trying
to overrun it. Good job to all!
This Saturday everyone got to see what
happens when you don't get the CG right on your new aircraft. I took the
preflight photographs of my new Spitfire 120...It sure looked pretty!
Afterwards not so good. Steve Mason did a great job landing an aircraft
that was obviously tail heavy. We lost the main gear and chewed up the
underside of the wing pretty good but nothing that can't be fixed. So it
will be back for a second flight hopefully with more attention paid to
the CG.
See you all at the meeting, Thursday
May 3rd
Mick
How
is a Good Preflight Check Performed?
from
the East Valley Aviators, Apache Junction, Arizona
You might think this is a simple thing
to do, but each time I’m at the field, I see mishaps that could have
been avoided if the pilot would have only taken the time to make some
routine checks. A good preflight check should start before your airplane
is assembled. You should go through a meticulous check of all parts of
the airplane before assembly, because some very important things cannot
be accessed afterwards. Start at the front of the airplane and proceed
to the rear.
1. Propeller/Spinner - Check the
spinner for cracks, especially around the screw holes. A cracked spinner
could come apart when the engine is started and injure you or someone
standing close by. Also check the propeller for cracks and nicks.
Propellers take a beating. A damaged propeller can be very dangerous if
the blades come off at speed.
2. Throttle linkage – Check to make
sure that the screws are secure and the pushrod (or cable) is firmly
attached and not damaged.
3. Engine mount bolts – Make sure all
bolts are present (obvious) and they are tight. Do not forget to check
the bolts that hold the motor mount to the firewall!
4. Muffler – Check to make sure the
muffler bolts are tight. Also check that the tailpiece is tight and will
not rotate.
5. Firewall – Grasp the airplane by the
propeller and fuselage, and rock back and forth to make sure the
firewall is not loose.
6. Landing gear – Check the wheel
collars and axles to make sure they are tight. Spin the wheels to make
sure they rotate freely. If you have wheel pants, check that they are
secure and tight. Check the landing gear attachment bolts to make sure
they are tight.
7. Servos/Linkages – With the wing off
(or through an access cover) check each servo to make sure the
attachment screws are in place and tight. Check each control-rod linkage
to make sure it is firmly attached and bolts, screws, and connectors are
tight. While in this area, check any wire connections you have access to
such as battery, switch, etc.
You should also check wing-attachment
points to make sure they are solid and tight.
8. Check the batteries with a load
test-type checker. The batteries must remain in the safe zone even under
load. If they do not, recharge before you fly. Make sure the load test
meter is the proper type for the kind and number of cells you are
testing. If you have mixed batteries in your airplane (for example a
Lithium Ion on the receiver and NiMH on the ignition) it is a good idea
to put a note on the charge jack as to type and size as a reminder for
both charging and testing.
9. Horizontal stabilizer – Grasp and
pull on the stabilizer to make sure it is attached solidly. Pull on the
elevator (both halves) to make sure the hinges are tight. Check the
control horn and the control rod to make sure they are attached solidly.
Also check that you have a “safety device” (i.e. piece of fuel line) to
make sure the linkage cannot come loose from the control horn. If you
use flying wires, check to make sure they are tight.
10. Vertical stabilizer – Grasp and
pull on the fin to make sure it is attached securely. Pull on the rudder
to make sure the hinges are tight. Check the control horn and the
control rod to make sure they are attached solidly. Also check that you
have a “safety device” (i.e. piece of fuel line) to make sure the
linkage cannot come loose from the control horn.
11. Antenna – If your antenna is
accessible, check it for nicks or breaks.
12. Wing – Check the wing for obvious
damage such as tears in the covering, broken ribs, etc. Grasp and pull
on each aileron and flap to make sure the hinges are tight. Check each
control horn to make sure they are tight and the control rods are
attached solidly. Make sure you have a “safety device” (fuel line) on
each clevis to ensure they cannot come loose during flight. Check wing
bolts or any other means used to attach the wing.
Now attach the wing, and check to make
sure the bolts have the correct torque to hold the wing solidly.
13. Check controls - Once the wing is
in place, turn on the radio and, with the antenna collapsed, check all
controls for ease of movement and correct direction of travel.
14. If this will be the first flight on
the airplane, verify that the Center of Gravity (CG) is within the safe
range. If you are unaware of what that range is, it is usually safe to
test fly at 25% of the chord of the wing from the leading edge. That
should leave the airplane a little nose heavy, which is a safe way to
test fly. Remember: A nose-heavy airplane flies poorly – A tail-heavy
airplane fly’s ONCE!
15.
Range check, engine off - With
the antenna still collapsed, walk about 60 to 80 feet away while moving
the controls. There should be no interruption or chattering from the
servos. It is helpful to have someone stand near the airplane to listen
for chattering.
16. Range check, Engine running –MAKE
SURE YOUR AIRPLANE IS RESTRAINED BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE! Start the
engine, and with it running and the antenna collapsed, walk around the
airplane checking controls. This should be done at idle and at full
throttle. I know some of you will look at this list and say, “If I do
all that before each day of flying, I will not have time to fly!” In
fact, if you make this checklist a part of your “routine” every time you
put an airplane together, after a while you will find it will only take
a few minutes to complete.
MEETING
The next meeting of the MMRCC is
scheduled for May 3, 2007 at 7:00 P.M. The meeting will be held at the
Northrop Grumman facility. Personnel are required to sign-in and sign
out for security purposes.
See you at the
meeting……………….Will
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