What is the purpose of walk arounds?

[vanderaj]

Hi there,

When I started out doing a PPL back in Australia before I moved to the USA, we spent a fair amount of time going through walk arounds, checking fuel to ensure it wasn't contaminated, checking panels, etc.

The other day, I took an American Eagle flight on a CRJ 140. The co-pilot skirted around the red line surrounding the plane, and barely looked at it. She never touched the plane, and didn't look at the horizontal stabilizer at all as she never looked up. From the time it rolled in, to the time we took off, the only "technical" folks who touched the plane was the refueller.

I was thinking a bit more about this. The CRJ-140, being a smaller aircraft, would allow most folks to touch most of the panels that open and shut, look at the undercarriage, and reach the fuel tanks to check the fuel. Once you get to a bigger aircraft, this becomes more and more difficult.

If commercial pilots don't bother doing a walk around properly, why do they still do it? Was this co-pilot wrong to not carefully check out the aircraft externally? Or are there different rules once you move to jets?

I'm not asking this for a flame fest, I'm truly interested from an education perspective.

Andrew

[Gullyone]

If the crew had just flown the aircraft and this was a turn round. I suppose that would be OK. But lets face how much of a widebody can the pilot inspect on a walk round.
Lets see, 2 wings and a tail a long way away, 4 engines, lots of wheels not flat, and nothing dripping, Time to go.

[Vee One...Rotate]

The walkaround technique for a specific aircraft will be stipulated and the person doing it will be expected to perform it thoroughly.

I'd imagine that as the aircraft changes from a PA28 to an A380 the walk-around becomes more of a gross error check than a detailed inspection - the technology/error checking onboard allows that too. You won't physically be able to see the wing upper surfaces, probes, tail, etc. so, all these things will be looked at to a degree, but the focus will probably be more on what can be seen from the ground - panels, leaks, wheel assemblies, etc.

It's traditional and still important - I remember one incident where the probes on an airliner were left taped-up and it led (I think) to a fatal crash. I'm pretty sure it was found out that a thorough walk-around should have picked up the problem.

V1R :ok:

[Mercenary Pilot]

I remember one incident where the probes on an airliner were left taped-up and it led (I think) to a fatal crash. I'm pretty sure it was found out that a thorough walk-around should have picked up the problem.I was going to mention that one myself. it was 757: Aeroperu Flight 603. The walk-round should have picked up that the static ports were taped over (although maintenance procedures hadn't been followed by ground crew, they had used metal coloured tape and it was dark). The crew had erroneous instrument indications after take-off and lost control of the aircraft taking 70 lives with them.

vanderaj, Generally, every commercial aircraft has specific inspection procedures which normally don't include removing panels and checking the fuel in tanks by hand.

Even if the pilot you watched wasn't doing her job properly, doesn't mean you should follow her example. DON'T BE GASH!!!

:ok:

[Gullyone]

I was a bit "gash" in my reply, but there are certain things you look for, like pitot tubes and many aircraft specific items. Also if it been standing unattended for some time (items in wheel wells etc) or maybe out of maintenance. I suppose its just a bit of common sense.

[YYZ_Instructor]

It all depends on company SOP's.
I'll explain my companies SOP as they all differ. Initial walkaround is to be done as outlined in the Aircraft Operating Manual, such as checking all important parts thouroughly and looking in the compressor and turbine blades for cracks knicks or anything unusual. In the landing gear bays etc.
After that check every check can be done by a fast walk around only looking at specific points that could be damaged while in flight ( Compressors, Pitot, Static, Wheels, etc. and can be done with in 2 min.

Everyone doesn't differently, but the main goal should be as outlined in your SOP's!