Phenomenal statistic

[DaV8or]

To me, taking off with the gust locks in means a) no pre flight inspection was done and no run up check list was done. In my routine, the walk around pre flight includes checking both elevator and airleron movement. It's number two on the run up check list to check for free movement of control surfaces. The taxi out to the runway will tell me if the rudder is free. In rental planes in the past, the freedom of movement at the run up check has caught occassional yoke mounts restricting movement and on my own plane, the walk around inspection of the airlerons alerted me to the worn heim bearings between the yokes and the bellcrank.

[aviatoreb]

Quote: jetdriven

[aviatoreb]

Quote: tomcullen

>In my standard operating procedure, there are already two checks for control surface problems (including leaving in a gust lock).  The pre-flight walk around and the checklist also says to exercise full control travel in each direction to ensure function.  This includes stomping the rudder pedals.   Two separate checklists would need need to be ignored to miss the gust locks for me.  

Quite true - flight controls free and correct is on my run-up check list.  And this truly did save me a problem once.  My previous airplane was a Diamond DA40 and it has a stick yoke between the legs instead of a steering wheel yoke like most airplanes.  I had the habit of carrying my backpack full of books in the co-pilot seat without much worry or thought - until one day at the free-and-correct check revealed my flight controls were stuck!  It only took me two seconds to notice that my backpack had tipped forward in a way that really locked the co-pilots stick yoke tangled in backpack strings and between books inside the case.  Might have been a simple problem leading to a very exciting take off roll and take off.  Thank you check list.

>.. Like a machinist's practice to never take a hand off the t-handle in the lathe.  

I like that practice - I will do that for now on.  Thanks.

[jetdriven]

Hobby Lobby, get 5  feet of 1" wide red nylon webbing and two plastic D-rings for a belt.  Sew the D-rings on the end of one end.  use a hot knife to trim the free end to length.  I think total cost was 3$

Quote: aviatoreb

[aviatoreb]

Quote: jetdriven

Nice gustlock!  Where do I get one?  Is that a special aviation gustlock or just some belt from Old Navy or something?

[Hank]

Quote: aviatoreb

[M016576]

Quote: jetdriven

One of the "tricks" my first instructor taught me after doing the checklist preflight to walk around the plane a second time, just looking at it, and thinking about it, and you might catch something you've missed.  This habit has serviced me well.

[MARZ]

Quote: Becca

Hm, that last post was from Becca.  I clearly got the login bug again.

[bnicolette]

Quote: maropers

 Phew....  what a relief - I re read that part about Byron's girl pants several times thinking WHAAAAT???  LOL

[rbridges]

Quote: maropers

 Phew....  what a relief - I re read that part about Byron's girl pants several times thinking WHAAAAT???  LOL