Asymmetric rudder movement on a condor when new on type; conducted pre GFT flight above stratus layer with 1,000ft base. Pupil eventually persuaded me to allow a spin in the opposite direction..took three turns with two right feet pushing on the pedals to recover less than 300ft above cloud layer. Some clown had adjusted the brake linkage without telling anyone or any qualifications. ( 20+ years later same guy died in a spinning accident).
What I didn’t find was a 22mm spanner under the rear seat of a K13…about the third instructor who hadn’t turned himself upside down to check that some idiot had rigged the glider hadn’t checked the tools back into the ammo box.
Mate found brake fans not working on a Trident - wheel nuts not tightened up after change and wheel skew stopping fan turning.
Found U/C pins in place..reported to skipper…ordered to jump over item in checklist…after engine start suddenly remembered fortunately…thrown up to cockpit DV window by engineer.
Found oil level on engine 2 below limits during engineering strike; captain ordered me to falsify it in technical log and sign it..refused. Departed to AMS with oil level below limit..engine didn’t go bang but during outside check unable to open rear freight hold..bung door..loaders had sabotaged the hold by not securing baggage net which had allowed the load to shift reward on rotation.
Not outside check but CofA found modification to airbrakes had been incorrectly performed which would have eventually led to failure and unwanted extension - the mod was mandatory after two fatalities.
Got airborne so many times paragliding with things I should have picked up I could write a book ; worst was on the Garden route at Wilderness after having two instructors anchor me on take off in very strong conditions which saw me bounce off a lamp standard, flying backwards narrowly missing hôtel roof…god can be kind to the foolish old farts.
PS I DI a grob twin glider fairly fresh after an annual in Worcester SA and noticed what a neat job had been done on the normally protruding canopy hinge bolts..mountain soaring and aerobatic instructional flight followed by landing on the tarmac with the duty instructor getting into a flap on the radio to clear the runway toute d'suite which we did with canopy open but supported..it fell off..another boll@cking until I examined hinges to find that the bolts had been removed, epoxy glue then car filler used to fill the holes. Mouthy Duty instructor was a car dealer and had decided to modify the glider himself. Rather fortunately it had not failed at VNE.
Last edited by blind pew; 21st Dec 2022 at 08:40.