Originally Posted by
scifi
Hi Guys, I was just going through the various 'aid memoirs' that we accumulate over the years, and it struck me that maybe I was doing the H for Hatches wrongly.
When taught in a PA 38 the H meant to unlock the doors (In case the Fire Service had to make an entry.) However when flying Cessnas my instructors have never querried that I did not unlock the doors on the H.
Just like to know if you unlock prior to landing in your airplane, or just check the doors are closed...?
.
Hatches and Harnesses - SECURE (i.e.
locked, Bloggs!)
I once learned a very good lesson from an instructor who asked what I would do if the door opened on takeoff. "Why, continue," I airily replied, having read an accident report wherein the aircraft left the runway as the unfortunate pilot tried to close an errant door
and take off at the same time, "and sort it out in the air, with plenty of height in hand."
Wrong!
My ears are still ringing today from his opinion of what the open door might do to the tailplane structure if it came off in flight!
Secure, secure, secure. Latched and locked.
Light aircraft are thin-skinned structures of delicate, but strong, construction. If a fireman wants to get in, he'll get in, unlocked or not.
Hope that helps
