Do YOU always fully check your controls before flight?
My 'daily' involves controls full and free, correct sense, running the trims through their full range, and the engine controls through full range. Doesn't everybody do this?
It is surprising how pilots can think that they checked something.
A certain large operator of the Bae 146 had an aircraft returned to service from maintenance with the roll spoiler indicators cross wired.
Fortunately the spoilers worked in the correct sense (not easily seen from the cockpit) but for about a month every day, every sector, the crew
diligently did their control checks without picking up Engineering's "deliberate" error.
That is not one crew, but probably a dozen or more who would have flown the aircraft in that time.
A certain large operator of the Bae 146 had an aircraft returned to service from maintenance with the roll spoiler indicators cross wired.
Fortunately the spoilers worked in the correct sense (not easily seen from the cockpit) but for about a month every day, every sector, the crew
diligently did their control checks without picking up Engineering's "deliberate" error.
That is not one crew, but probably a dozen or more who would have flown the aircraft in that time.
Mach E Avelli, are you seriously saying that the engineers deliberately returned the aircraft to service knowing it had a control or indicator working in the incorrect sense? Wtf!
Definitely set lever frictions too, captain dart! Thanks for mentioning it.
There are certain turboprops out there that have things like power levers return quite "noticeably" to flight idle when the friction is quite loose. Anyone familiar with Beechcraft?
Found a jammed lever myself testing the levers pre flight. Go the linkage geometry!
There are certain turboprops out there that have things like power levers return quite "noticeably" to flight idle when the friction is quite loose. Anyone familiar with Beechcraft?
Found a jammed lever myself testing the levers pre flight. Go the linkage geometry!
Bottums Up
Mach E Avelli, are you seriously saying that the engineers deliberately returned the aircraft to service knowing it had a control or indicator working in the incorrect sense? Wtf!
Time to take your tongue out of your cheek Mr Avelli.
My 'daily' involves controls full and free, correct sense, running the trims through their full range, and the engine controls through full range. Doesn't everybody do this?
Not, by any chance, are you the well known Captain Lawn Dart??
Re. control checks that are properly completed, given the accident record, obviously not.
After engine shutdown on B707, part of the check was to run the thrust levers through their full range to make certain the reverse thrust was stowed and interlocks cleared.
I recall the day an F/O in memory mode did this before the engines were shut down. To say that the ground staff were a little startled would have been the understatement of the year. Thank Hewie we didn't kill or injure anybody, our post flight beer would have got warm completing the paperwork.
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I remember reading an article years ago in Flying magazine. (I think it was penned by Richard Collins. Maybe Len Morgan.)
He was lining up for departure and moved the controls through their full range just, before giving it the gas. The FO said, why do that? We did it as part of the taxi check."
The reply involved the author having witnessed a DC 8 stall on departure and crash. Turns out a bit of gravel had been blown into an elevator hinge by a preceding departure, and jammed it. The crew couldn't lower the nose.
He was haunted by that memory. (Well, you would be.)
Creating the mental image is probably sufficient to jog one into performing that simple check.
He was lining up for departure and moved the controls through their full range just, before giving it the gas. The FO said, why do that? We did it as part of the taxi check."
The reply involved the author having witnessed a DC 8 stall on departure and crash. Turns out a bit of gravel had been blown into an elevator hinge by a preceding departure, and jammed it. The crew couldn't lower the nose.
He was haunted by that memory. (Well, you would be.)
Creating the mental image is probably sufficient to jog one into performing that simple check.
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Back in 70s we had 2 cases of locked ailerons ( control lock was 2 bits of wood and a bolt holding them together with a big red flag attached located in the gap between the end of the aileron and the wing tip) the aircraft was the PL12 Airtruk and in both cases a very wide circuit was carried out using the twin rudders and elevators to control the aircraft and a successful landing carried out much to the skill of the AG pilots who failed to notice the big red flag fluttering in breeze during the pre-flight walk around and the full and free control check before take-off (true story)
Round about 1963 a Victa Airtourer of the Royal Aero Club of NSW, pupil and instructor on board, had elevator jam in flight. Instructor found he could get enough pitch authority to slightly raise or lower the nose by delicate power changes and by cautious adjustment with the trim lever.
Then he set up for a long shallow approach back into Bankstown, landing successfully without further incident.
Incidentally, his initials were RR, he had an apartment in Seidler's Blues Point Towers and he went on to fly for QF. (He was also the subject of a controversial reinstatement after medical termination). Modesty was not one of his shining virtues, either. Just saying.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT QUESTION . .. Ernest K Gann . . . what does the K stand for? Hint - breakfast cereal...(the father was extremely wealthy)
Then he set up for a long shallow approach back into Bankstown, landing successfully without further incident.
Incidentally, his initials were RR, he had an apartment in Seidler's Blues Point Towers and he went on to fly for QF. (He was also the subject of a controversial reinstatement after medical termination). Modesty was not one of his shining virtues, either. Just saying.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT QUESTION . .. Ernest K Gann . . . what does the K stand for? Hint - breakfast cereal...(the father was extremely wealthy)
Fantome:
You were at Echuca for the AAAA event, immaculate Rapide and all! Did you talk to the lovely old gent who owned the B33 in the hangar there? He confessed that was the source of the Beech "throw over" yoke control cable AD - he was about to roll, taking two disabled kids and their helper for a flight, did his control check and thought the elevators "felt funny" so returned to the ramp. It was indeed "funny" - the elevator cable had parted company with the elevator!
You were at Echuca for the AAAA event, immaculate Rapide and all! Did you talk to the lovely old gent who owned the B33 in the hangar there? He confessed that was the source of the Beech "throw over" yoke control cable AD - he was about to roll, taking two disabled kids and their helper for a flight, did his control check and thought the elevators "felt funny" so returned to the ramp. It was indeed "funny" - the elevator cable had parted company with the elevator!
ah Rodbag . . . missed that encounter. Much the pity there was just not the time or opportunity to catch up with many of the characters who rocked up to Echuca (as will happen again 2016, 2017 and 2018, barring armageddon) Also missed seeing Edgar Pickles one of the stalwarts of bomber command still alive and kicking.
As a very English EWA training captain, native of Stoke on Trent , used to intone -
"so much to do . . . . so little time"
he also used to quip -
"all we have to look forward to . . . is our nostalgia. .damn it!"
As a very English EWA training captain, native of Stoke on Trent , used to intone -
"so much to do . . . . so little time"
he also used to quip -
"all we have to look forward to . . . is our nostalgia. .damn it!"
I always manage to talk myself hoarse at the AAAA events...
a Victa Airtourer of the Royal Aero Club of NSW, pupil and instructor on board, had elevator jam in flight. Instructor found he could get enough pitch authority to slightly raise or lower the nose by delicate power changes and by cautious adjustment with the trim lever.
Incidentally, his initials were RR, he had an apartment in Seidler's Blues Point Towers and he went on to fly for QF.
Are you certain about the Blues Point Tower bit, at the time said RDJBR got a job with QF, I was living in said tower, and never came across him, and I knew him well from ASBK.
He was mostly a denizen of the eastern suburbs, I would have put him as one of those who thought you needed a visa to cross the bridge, Grab-a-Granny night at the Mosman Rowers excepted.
Having had the pleasure of flying with him as his F/O, I was really looking forward to having him as my F/O during the year he had to fly as such, until he got back into Upper L1.
Tootle pip!!
Drain Bamaged
We check the "four" corners up to their stop (plus rudders)
When the correct aileron goes up, pilot sitting on its side call "I'm up" the other one "I'm down" and vice-versa... Nothing related with Viagra's effectiveness
We also call each trim setting religiously.
And tail wheel lock...
megan . . .
true , but in the case of this failure , I'm pretty sure that while Roger had loss of the primary control, the spring bias was operable to the extent that it enabled some elevator authority
any Victa Association member could confirm, if true
Leadie . . .. seems I could be wrong about his domicile
One bloke who has a lot of RACNSW history hived away in his head from the early 60s
worked in the flight office and drove a black Austin 10. Rex Booth.
Rexie, after the ashen faced RR taxied back up the apron after his
'save', dubbed him ' the ace of the base'.
What you say about his eastern suburb predilections is no surprise.
But 'grab a grannie' at the Mosman Rowers , now that conjures up
quite a flush of nostalgia .
(When RB moved to Perth to fly for Doug Muir he upgraded to a snappy
little MG. He flew Doug's Baron 'the fast one' and the Travelair 'the quiet one'. That was how the Beechcraft were respectively billed in the air charter sales brochure. Much later RB was flying to the ice in Skytrader's A319, a checkie. Over in the west he shared the flying with the late Grant 'Slim' Rosier)
Trim being springs in the elevator circuit, no tabs out in the breeze.
any Victa Association member could confirm, if true
Leadie . . .. seems I could be wrong about his domicile
One bloke who has a lot of RACNSW history hived away in his head from the early 60s
worked in the flight office and drove a black Austin 10. Rex Booth.
Rexie, after the ashen faced RR taxied back up the apron after his
'save', dubbed him ' the ace of the base'.
What you say about his eastern suburb predilections is no surprise.
But 'grab a grannie' at the Mosman Rowers , now that conjures up
quite a flush of nostalgia .
(When RB moved to Perth to fly for Doug Muir he upgraded to a snappy
little MG. He flew Doug's Baron 'the fast one' and the Travelair 'the quiet one'. That was how the Beechcraft were respectively billed in the air charter sales brochure. Much later RB was flying to the ice in Skytrader's A319, a checkie. Over in the west he shared the flying with the late Grant 'Slim' Rosier)
Jetcraft Metro 11 nearly planted at BK on a post major wing repair (got hit by an MU2 on the taxiway) was nearly planted after the MRO replaced the elevator trim switch in the reverse sense. Captain G held his cool and recovered the aircraft after a circuit . Trim functioned perfectly except in wrong sense.
