Downwind checks Mnemonic
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Downwind checks Mnemonic
In Harvards in the early 1950's and possibly today, the downwind check was remembered as a mnemonic:
“TMPFFSGGHHH”
and recited as “Tickle my ***** for ****’s sake goody goody ha ha ha”, all of which was intended to prompt for Throttle–Mixture–Pitch, etc.
What were the etcetera bits i.e. "FFSGGHHH"?
“TMPFFSGGHHH”
and recited as “Tickle my ***** for ****’s sake goody goody ha ha ha”, all of which was intended to prompt for Throttle–Mixture–Pitch, etc.
What were the etcetera bits i.e. "FFSGGHHH"?
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I was taught "Tickle Mary Pickford for forty glorious hours". It was the pre-takeoff checks for the Prentice or Harvard and could be adapted to cover most aircraft. Trims set for take off, mixture rich, pitch fully fine, fuel sufficient and selected, flaps set for takeoff, gills as required (not for the Prentice or Harvard) hood open/closed, hydraulics, harness tight. Of course, you would need to be training in 1950 to know who Mary Pickford was.
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Downwind Vital Actions.....
The one I was taught went B-U-M-F-F-G-G-H-C
Brakes off
U/C down - it was down and welded to begin with!
Mixture rich
Fuel - sufficient / tank selected
Fuel pump on
Gyros syncronised
Guages - all green
Hatches and harnesses
Crew - all happy?
Later on in the JP the mantra was.....
speed below 140
airbrakes in
u/c down
fuel sufficient for 90 (95) kt threshold speed
flaps to take off (limit was 150 kts ISTR)
hydraulics - brakes on/off pressure good, confirm exhausted on release
hatches and harnesses - checked
Amazing really what a young brain can soak up - the first solo was nearly 30 years ago in the dear old Mk.3 .....happy days!
MB
Brakes off
U/C down - it was down and welded to begin with!
Mixture rich
Fuel - sufficient / tank selected
Fuel pump on
Gyros syncronised
Guages - all green
Hatches and harnesses
Crew - all happy?
Later on in the JP the mantra was.....
speed below 140
airbrakes in
u/c down
fuel sufficient for 90 (95) kt threshold speed
flaps to take off (limit was 150 kts ISTR)
hydraulics - brakes on/off pressure good, confirm exhausted on release
hatches and harnesses - checked
Amazing really what a young brain can soak up - the first solo was nearly 30 years ago in the dear old Mk.3 .....happy days!
MB
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
If I recall (and it's over forty years for me), the JP was "aunt and uncle fornicate frequently, however weary"
Airbrakes in, undercarriage down, flaps set, fuel sufficient, harness and hood secure, wheelbrakes on,off, heels on the floor.
Airbrakes in, undercarriage down, flaps set, fuel sufficient, harness and hood secure, wheelbrakes on,off, heels on the floor.
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I was rapped over the knuckles for getting ahead of myself and reciting,"Undercarriage down and mixed," one day at Denham. The same instructor was somewhat bemused when he asked, " If the engine fails now where are you going to go?" and I replied, "In the water." We were just airborne easterly towards some gravel pits and i still, After 40 years can't think of a better answer. If I had suggested a turn back to the field it would have been more than my knuckles that got rapped.
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I remember a Nigerian AF student at Linton who, thinking of pre take-off checks, decided to check 'controls - full and free movement' as the last JP3 downwind VA. The ensuing manoeuvre was interesting to say the least.
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Warmtoast, one of my instructors who was then with Cathay swore blind that a pre take off check that went "Tickle my ..... for a great big horn" would suffice from Vampires to Tristars, not sure, but certainly worked for a Beech Musketeer!