Pre Flight Inspection Discoveries
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Pre Flight Inspection Discoveries
Thought it might be interesting to see what has been discovered during Pre Flight Inspections
The good, the bad, the ugly and anything highly unusual or amusing!
The good, the bad, the ugly and anything highly unusual or amusing!
A 12-inch paintbrush in the mixing unit output to the flying controls on a Wessex, a half-used roll of locking wire on the cockpit roof of a Lynx and, just last week, a wren hiding behind the instrument panel on a Sea King.
Yes the birdie wren not the RN one.
Yes the birdie wren not the RN one.
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I have an amusing story about something that was NOT discovered! Aberdeen in the early nineties, with a well known AS332 operator. The SFO goes to the aircraft first to do the walk around which is uneventful. He notes the baggage bay was open but thought nothing of it, and closed it after looking at the baggage. The payload was low, with not that many bags loaded, so he didn’t climb up to check the tail boom hold.
He strapped in and was joined by the captain, to whom he confirmed “all good”. They then started up and taxied to the hotspot to load their pax RR.
Unbeknown to them both, a ‘greenie’ (avionics engineer) had gone to the aircraft earlier, to do some unrecorded troubleshooting of the magnetic flux sensors - located in the tail boom……
His first indication that things were about to go awry, was the baggage bay door being closed, followed a few minutes later by the engines starting and the aircraft moving. Being a greenie, he quick-wittedly moved back to the main baggage bay and attempted to pull the CVFDR CBs, hoping to trigger the warning panel in the cockpit. Unfortunately it required the cockpit CBs to be pulled too, so there was no response.
He then remembered that there is a small removable panel on the rear cabin bulkhead, intended for pointing a portable fire extinguisher through, in the event of a baggage fire. So, he clambered around moving bags out of the way, until he found it and removed it. Then, tapped the poor unsuspecting passenger, sitting in front of it, on the shoulder!
I think what came out, was
- don’t do undocumented maintenance activities that nobody knows you’re doing
- if working in the tailboom on the ramp, attach long dayglo streamers to announce the fact
- don’t cut corners doing the walk around, even if there seems no reason to check something.
He strapped in and was joined by the captain, to whom he confirmed “all good”. They then started up and taxied to the hotspot to load their pax RR.
Unbeknown to them both, a ‘greenie’ (avionics engineer) had gone to the aircraft earlier, to do some unrecorded troubleshooting of the magnetic flux sensors - located in the tail boom……
His first indication that things were about to go awry, was the baggage bay door being closed, followed a few minutes later by the engines starting and the aircraft moving. Being a greenie, he quick-wittedly moved back to the main baggage bay and attempted to pull the CVFDR CBs, hoping to trigger the warning panel in the cockpit. Unfortunately it required the cockpit CBs to be pulled too, so there was no response.
He then remembered that there is a small removable panel on the rear cabin bulkhead, intended for pointing a portable fire extinguisher through, in the event of a baggage fire. So, he clambered around moving bags out of the way, until he found it and removed it. Then, tapped the poor unsuspecting passenger, sitting in front of it, on the shoulder!
I think what came out, was
- don’t do undocumented maintenance activities that nobody knows you’re doing
- if working in the tailboom on the ramp, attach long dayglo streamers to announce the fact
- don’t cut corners doing the walk around, even if there seems no reason to check something.
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A great story 212. I remember it well.
IIRC, they produced a “man in boot” button that could be pressed by those entombed with the baggage to illuminate the red “boot open” light.
The inventiveness of the design department in coming up with such a mod in quick time is much missed in 2022.
XA
IIRC, they produced a “man in boot” button that could be pressed by those entombed with the baggage to illuminate the red “boot open” light.
The inventiveness of the design department in coming up with such a mod in quick time is much missed in 2022.
XA
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We once had an Army CH-47D crew refuse an aircraft for a green tree frog (about 2” long) loose in the combining transmission cooling fan. They said it was FOD, we said once the fan started it would find a more comfortable place to be.
A crew recently found a kitten after a 3 hour training period *on Post Flight*, in the upper ESSS fairing on a UH-60.
Also recently, we were briefed to remember that Apple AirPods are FOD and shouldn’t be worn on the aircraft after a slightly worse for wear AirPod was removed from a T700 engine during tear down by our engine shop.
FltMech
A crew recently found a kitten after a 3 hour training period *on Post Flight*, in the upper ESSS fairing on a UH-60.
Also recently, we were briefed to remember that Apple AirPods are FOD and shouldn’t be worn on the aircraft after a slightly worse for wear AirPod was removed from a T700 engine during tear down by our engine shop.
FltMech
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My story is post flight - just.
Many years ago with a full load of pax - 737 from a certain small antipodean airline touches down.
Speed brakes pop up as they do.
Sharp eyed passenger notices large spanner wedged in a cavity before they drop back down!
I kid you not.
I was in the airline PR department at the time and we got a frantic call from the fleet manager telling us what had happened in case anyone went to the media.
Quickly removed by the lineys - and not a single journalist was any the wiser.
Now, I could relay another story about how a spilled cup of hot liquid on the flight deck forced the landing of another jet full of parliamentarians - but they did find out about that.
Very droll headline from that one.
Coffee Grounds.
Many years ago with a full load of pax - 737 from a certain small antipodean airline touches down.
Speed brakes pop up as they do.
Sharp eyed passenger notices large spanner wedged in a cavity before they drop back down!
I kid you not.
I was in the airline PR department at the time and we got a frantic call from the fleet manager telling us what had happened in case anyone went to the media.
Quickly removed by the lineys - and not a single journalist was any the wiser.
Now, I could relay another story about how a spilled cup of hot liquid on the flight deck forced the landing of another jet full of parliamentarians - but they did find out about that.
Very droll headline from that one.
Coffee Grounds.
Junior pilot, few months into first tour, get given a ground run. It’s right outside the ops room so think “better give this a really good
walkround”. Spot what looks like a bit of a crack in the paint on the tail. Give it a push. And keep pushing. Full on crack halfway round the tailboom. We learned about walkrounds from that.
walkround”. Spot what looks like a bit of a crack in the paint on the tail. Give it a push. And keep pushing. Full on crack halfway round the tailboom. We learned about walkrounds from that.
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He appeared to have two cyclic sticks.
Then a forked tongue appeared from the second stick.
The aircraft was rapidly dumped on the ground and evacuated.
The chin windows had bungs in them so they could be cleaned out. One was missing and a snake had Crawled in and nested under the centre console.
It had become rather annoyed by being hit by the rudder pedal bellcrank in flight.
Turned out to be a harmless snake but by then it was dead!!!!
Westland Scout returned to Long Kesh 1975 and appeared to have been hit by ground fire with a large hole in the leading edge of the stabiliser.
As the high and mighty dispered one of the engineers had a jacking handle ready to raise the ground handling wheels.
He tried it in the hole and like Cinderellas glass slipper it was a perfect fit.
At the time the aircraft did not fly with wheels fitted due to weight considerations.
Standard practice was to fit wheels, jack the aircraft and then put a handle on each side the transmission deck.
On this occasion one guy had removed both wheels using the same handle and left the second on the deck..
Pilot missed it on the walkround and the I.R.A received the credit.
Engineering said nothing and indented for a new handle.
At Kesh again with a Scout.
For some reason one of the wheels had had the pins removed but the wheel assembly was still sat on the skid.
Pilot missed it on the walk round and attempted to bomb the Jacobs biscuit factory shortly after take off.
The wheel landed in the car park with no harm done except to the wheel.
Gazelle at Kesh 1976. On pre flight it was noticed that there was a massive diference between the two cyclic sticks viewed from the front.
Engineering had connected one of the underfloor control rods to a rigging pin hole in the bellcrank instead of the attachment hole.
Red faces and questions in the house on the subject of independent inspections.
365C at Strubby circa 1983. Nav light had failed and a new light was fitted with the cable connections crimped.
Shortly afterward the engineer who carried out he task had a light bulb moment and went to the avionics workshop to check that he had returned the crimping tool.
Missing!!!
A walk down the runway produced the tool a couple of hundred yards from the spots.
It had slid off the horizontal stabiliser having been missed on the walk round.
The engineer responsible said nothing to a living soul.
Until now!!!!
Last edited by ericferret; 20th Dec 2022 at 12:46.
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I did an EC155 flight around the Niger Delta once, with the outgoing Chairman of Shell, with his wife - he was doing a tour of the various Shell BUs before he retired. After landing I did a post flight inspection, and discovered that the fenestron hub was completely loose. It was exactly like a car wheel, when you are changing the tyre, and it's jacked up and the nuts are loosened. It transpired that the attachment bolts were torqued against paint and reverse wire locked. This was in the era that Eurocopter factory staff still drank beer and wine in the staff canteen for lunch......
Just a few quickies....a Full size blanket under the Tail Rotor Drive Shaft immediately behind the MGB on a 212.
A Mommy Kitty with her half dozen kittens in the baggage compartment of an Alouette III,
Rolls of Locking wire, hand tools,and rags on a CH-47A that was reported ready for a Post Major Maintenance Air Test.
A rubber covered Torch/Flash Light laying on the main driveshaft of an S-58T that had almost severed the shaft.....as we were climbing the steps to. the helideck the Engineer was whinging about someone having nicked his torch.
A TH-55A that was missing a tail rotor.....assigned to me for my Pre-Solo check ride.
But the ultimate was the CH-47A that was missing a complete engine......under the maintenance contract at Fort Rucker it was considered "Flyable" as it could be flown on a single engine in an emergency....but clearly was not "Mission Ready'!
We won't talk about the Kilo of Pot found in the Heater Closet of a Chinook in Vietnam.....
A Mommy Kitty with her half dozen kittens in the baggage compartment of an Alouette III,
Rolls of Locking wire, hand tools,and rags on a CH-47A that was reported ready for a Post Major Maintenance Air Test.
A rubber covered Torch/Flash Light laying on the main driveshaft of an S-58T that had almost severed the shaft.....as we were climbing the steps to. the helideck the Engineer was whinging about someone having nicked his torch.
A TH-55A that was missing a tail rotor.....assigned to me for my Pre-Solo check ride.
But the ultimate was the CH-47A that was missing a complete engine......under the maintenance contract at Fort Rucker it was considered "Flyable" as it could be flown on a single engine in an emergency....but clearly was not "Mission Ready'!
We won't talk about the Kilo of Pot found in the Heater Closet of a Chinook in Vietnam.....
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Nigerian In Law
Not strictly pre flight, although I had been on the ground. Rotors running single pilot so no way to walk around.
In a 212 returning to an offshore platform from a "liaison" visit to a village where the oilies were fixing their generator. 5 minute flight. Levelled out at about 400 feet and heard a knocking sound that seemed to be coming from the starboard side. Took off my headset, stuck my head out and saw a teenager standing on the skid clinging to the door handle. About turn, landed back at the village. Boy ran away but was caught by his compatriots who proceded to beat the Hell out of him. Took off and continued back to the platform.
Nobody tried that stunt again. I suspect they would have except for the consequences..........
NEO
In a 212 returning to an offshore platform from a "liaison" visit to a village where the oilies were fixing their generator. 5 minute flight. Levelled out at about 400 feet and heard a knocking sound that seemed to be coming from the starboard side. Took off my headset, stuck my head out and saw a teenager standing on the skid clinging to the door handle. About turn, landed back at the village. Boy ran away but was caught by his compatriots who proceded to beat the Hell out of him. Took off and continued back to the platform.
Nobody tried that stunt again. I suspect they would have except for the consequences..........
NEO
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More what I didn't find on a walkround.
I once walked out to an RAF Gazelle, scheduled to teach my student his first engine off landings sortie.
Only one set of flying controls were fitted - there were none on my side! I would NEVER trust any student pilot that much, nor my instruction.
I once walked out to an RAF Gazelle, scheduled to teach my student his first engine off landings sortie.
Only one set of flying controls were fitted - there were none on my side! I would NEVER trust any student pilot that much, nor my instruction.
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[QUOTE=Nigerian Expat Outlaw;11351720]Not strictly pre flight, although I had been on the ground. Rotors running single pilot so no way to walk around.
Nobody tried that stunt again. I suspect they would have except for the consequences..........
Scout pilot took off from Middle Wallop and was hover taxying across the airfield when he noticed that the engineer who was doing a gearbox leak check had walked down the skids and was watching him with interest through the co-pilots window.
Oops!
Lama pilot working in Scotland looked in the mirror and noticed one of the loaders hitching a ride on the 6 foot long "meat hook".
Took him over to the nearby pond and dipped him!!
Nobody tried that stunt again. I suspect they would have except for the consequences..........
Scout pilot took off from Middle Wallop and was hover taxying across the airfield when he noticed that the engineer who was doing a gearbox leak check had walked down the skids and was watching him with interest through the co-pilots window.
Oops!
Lama pilot working in Scotland looked in the mirror and noticed one of the loaders hitching a ride on the 6 foot long "meat hook".
Took him over to the nearby pond and dipped him!!
Rags and wrenches in the hydraulics of a 206.
206 Tail Rotor installed backasswards. (I kid you not)
Wrenches on the engine deck or various 205s and 212s. They had a way of hiding just at the edge of the deck darn hard to see.
A socket still attached to a bolt in the engine compartment compete with the guilty party’s name etched thereupon.
I myself am not without sin. For example ( and there are afew) refuelled an Astar once, Flew 2 hours with about 10 landings..returned to refuel…gas cap sitting. snugly in the step next to the fuel tank.
In Burma you always checked the 76 very carefully for snakes. I never found one but others did. On two occasions in flight.
A friend had a fixed wing student do a DI one early morning.
He returned to announce that the aircraft was ready.
Walking towards the aircraft: “Bloggins, you did a DI, correct?”
“Yes Sir!”
”Bloggins, look carefully, what is missing?”
Bloggins circles the aircraft. “Looks good Sir!”
”Bloggins how do you expect to move forward with no propeller attached to the aircraft?”
That cost Bloggins a case of beer.
206 Tail Rotor installed backasswards. (I kid you not)
Wrenches on the engine deck or various 205s and 212s. They had a way of hiding just at the edge of the deck darn hard to see.
A socket still attached to a bolt in the engine compartment compete with the guilty party’s name etched thereupon.
I myself am not without sin. For example ( and there are afew) refuelled an Astar once, Flew 2 hours with about 10 landings..returned to refuel…gas cap sitting. snugly in the step next to the fuel tank.
In Burma you always checked the 76 very carefully for snakes. I never found one but others did. On two occasions in flight.
A friend had a fixed wing student do a DI one early morning.
He returned to announce that the aircraft was ready.
Walking towards the aircraft: “Bloggins, you did a DI, correct?”
“Yes Sir!”
”Bloggins, look carefully, what is missing?”
Bloggins circles the aircraft. “Looks good Sir!”
”Bloggins how do you expect to move forward with no propeller attached to the aircraft?”
That cost Bloggins a case of beer.
Rags and wrenches in the hydraulics of a 206.
206 Tail Rotor installed backasswards. (I kid you not)
Wrenches on the engine deck or various 205s and 212s. They had a way of hiding just at the edge of the deck darn hard to see.
A socket still attached to a bolt in the engine compartment compete with the guilty party’s name etched thereupon.
I myself am not without sin. For example ( and there are afew) refuelled an Astar once, Flew 2 hours with about 10 landings..returned to refuel…gas cap sitting. snugly in the step next to the fuel tank.
In Burma you always checked the 76 very carefully for snakes. I never found one but others did. On two occasions in flight.
A friend had a fixed wing student do a DI one early morning.
He returned to announce that the aircraft was ready.
Walking towards the aircraft: “Bloggins, you did a DI, correct?”
“Yes Sir!”
”Bloggins, look carefully, what is missing?”
Bloggins circles the aircraft. “Looks good Sir!”
”Bloggins how do you expect to move forward with no propeller attached to the aircraft?”
That cost Bloggins a case of beer.
206 Tail Rotor installed backasswards. (I kid you not)
Wrenches on the engine deck or various 205s and 212s. They had a way of hiding just at the edge of the deck darn hard to see.
A socket still attached to a bolt in the engine compartment compete with the guilty party’s name etched thereupon.
I myself am not without sin. For example ( and there are afew) refuelled an Astar once, Flew 2 hours with about 10 landings..returned to refuel…gas cap sitting. snugly in the step next to the fuel tank.
In Burma you always checked the 76 very carefully for snakes. I never found one but others did. On two occasions in flight.
A friend had a fixed wing student do a DI one early morning.
He returned to announce that the aircraft was ready.
Walking towards the aircraft: “Bloggins, you did a DI, correct?”
“Yes Sir!”
”Bloggins, look carefully, what is missing?”
Bloggins circles the aircraft. “Looks good Sir!”
”Bloggins how do you expect to move forward with no propeller attached to the aircraft?”
That cost Bloggins a case of beer.
Sitting at a flying school, waiting my turn for a recurrent ride. The boss, who is also an examiner, comes back in with a candidate after a successful commercial flight test. One of the instructors walks out to the same machine with a student, planning to go for a flight lesson, but returns moments later shaking his head. Apparently there was no collective installed on the instructors side
