Preparation of an Airplane for Flight

Perhaps one of the most complicated pieces of machinery that mankind has created and a deals with on a daily basis is the airplane. This is true not only from an operator's point of view, but an element of design as well. The intricacies of design, however, will be saved from this discussion, as focus will remain primarily on the standpoint of operations.

Airplanes, one of many families of aircraft, constitute a broad spectrum of machines. They tend to come in every conceivable shape and variety, almost as unique as the people who fly them. Envision the common light single-engine variety for a moment; it is the embodiment of general aviation - the epitome of personal freedom. They are quite common at small airports and abound the skies across the country, making them a familiar site to most.

It has been said that flying an airplane is much like riding a bicycle, likening the difficult learning curve to the phenomenon of perpetual skill retention. In real world practice, this is seldom the case, in either instance, however it still remains true to a certain degree. Additionally, based on a first hand account, the experience is equally rewarding.

Analogies aside, the first order of business is always the preflight. This involves the towing of the aircraft from the hangar to a suitable area for engine startup. The aircraft is never started inside the hangar due to the risk of propeller airflow moving debris about. Once all tow equipment is removed a thorough inspection is preformed to ensure the plane is flight-ready.

With a checklist in hand, the operator makes a sweep around the vehicle, inspecting various ports, moveable surfaces, and general structure elements. The two most important ports that are examined are the static port, and the pitot tube. Together, these two ports provide a reference for many of the pilot's primary instruments, including altitude, air speed, and vertical speed. Important control surfaces to check include the ailerons, which provide roll control, the elevator, which provides pitch control, and the rudder, which provides yaw (side to side movement) control. The flap surfaces should also be checked, as they play a significant role in takeoff and landing for many aircraft. Structural elements, such as the fuselage, non-moveable aerodynamic surfaces (wings, stabilizers), and struts should be checked for integrity. A check of the landing gear and brakes is also in order.

Once it has been determined that the aircraft is structurally sound, a fuel system check should be done. This involves comparing cockpit gauge readout to actual tank level, which should always be verified for every flight. A sump procedure is also required, as it will remove any collected water in the fuel system. When a fuel tank or fitting is 'sumped', a small amount of fuel is removed from a port. Any water or contaminants should be drained from these ports until pure fuel is obtained. 'Sumping' of the fuel system should always be completed from the highest point to the lowest point. The fuel tank selector should also be verified for the proper setting at this point.

Next, flight controls should be checked for proper action and correctness. Turning the control wheel from left to right should move the ailerons in opposite directions; moving the control wheel fore and aft should move the elevator. Rudder pedals should operate counteractively and deflect the rudder in the appropriate direction. Flap operation from the cockpit can also be checked at this point.

Once it has been established that the aircraft has proper control function, the pilot can then begin to set up cockpit instrumentation. The most important primary flight instrument that is set is the altimeter. It must be pressure calibrated to reflect field elevation at takeoff using current weather data from an aviation weather reporting station. The attitude indicator should also be set to neutral at this time. Once all flight instruments have been verified, the radios may also be set the correct frequencies at this time.

Engine startup is the next order of business. To prepare the engine for startup, the fuel mixture control must be first set to full rich. The throttle is also opened slightly. The magnetos are then switched on and then finally the ignition switch is set which engages the starter. Once ignition is confirmed, the starter is disengaged, and the throttle stabilized at idle speed.

The brakes are released at this point and the plane begins to move forward. Brakes are then briefly reapplied to confirm their proper operation. The taxi then continues to an area close to the runway for the engine run-up.

Once a suitable area is selected for the engine run-up, the plane is turned into the wind, and the engines are spooled up to a faster speed. The oil system, electrical systems, and redundant ignition system is checked for proper operation. Once all these checks are complete, the engine is then returned to idle speed.

At this point the aircraft is ready for departure. Through a series of through checklists and skills owed to vigorous training, the pilot has successfully prepared an aircraft for flight. All that remains now is to actually take off.