Page 13 - Volume 17 Number 4

hy? Consumables,Controls, ConditionLet’s return, for a bit, to the basics of flight, those essentials with which we started our career. At a minimum, our aircraft needs to have three criterions met in order to safely commit aviation. First, the aircraft needs a sufficient supply of fuel, lubricants and other vital consumable fluids (de-icer, hydraulic fluid, coffee) to conduct the trip. Never assume that a service invoice means the fuel was added; look at the level, either manually or with some dead-accurate capacitance gauging system. Trust, but verify. Next, the flight controls system must be free of restrictions, responding to yoke and pedal movement and moving in the correct direction – check the ailerons, elevators, rudders, flaps and spoilers.Finally, it’s vital to verify the structural condition of the aircraft. Look for dents, cracks, delamination, loose panels and missing or open fasteners. Wing and empennage tips, tailcone, cowlings and access covers should be secure. Nothing should move that should be tight and everything that should move freely must not bind. Gear doors, fairings and antennas must be attached solidly enough to stay in place.Those are the three killer items that absolutely must be verified on a preflight airworthiness checks – Consumables, Controls and Condition. From that basic framework, you must continue your checkout to verify that the airplane is ready for the type of operation being undertaken. Lights should be tested, tire inflation and conditionAPRIL 2013TWIN & TURBINE • 11