Some things cannot be hurried. Things like home-made bread and vintage wine. Even “Minute Rice” takes at least 5 minutest Good things take time. To this list we should add the designing, building and preflighting of aircraft. This month’s Safety Corner is about preflighting. There is more to it than kicking the tires and twanging a few wires before blast-off.

Ultralights are a relatively recent update of an old invention. The popularity of ultalights is, in part, due to developments of lightweight, powerful motors, new materials and a rebirth of man’s interest in affordable, fun and safe recreational flying. Unlike other kinds of flying, we are under no pressure to meet deadlines and schedules for carrying goods or people. Nor are we forced to fly in poor weather. Yet, there always seems to be an urge to get airborne once the decision to go is made. What’s the hurry?

Rushing the preflight is a common occurrence. We all do it from time-to-time. There are lots of reasons why we do it – none of them any good . . . it will be dark soon and I want to get in an hour or so before sunset . . . I just adjusted the anti-gravity warp drive and want to get in a quick test flight … I’m running late and want to get in an hour of circuits before the thermals build and then I will cut the lawn. Sound familiar? If you ever find yourself rushing through any phase of flight, BEWARE.

The prime reason for preflight is to confirm that the machine is airworthy. That all the nuts and bolts are in place. Yet, most of us don’t use checklists. I did for the first years but then thought I had the walkaround pretty well taped. Besides, checklists seemed kind of wimpy. A few times I had to get out to remove the pitot tube cover. But people can’t see you very well at the far end of the runway. All you have to do is nonchalantly get out and put your body between any audience and the pitot cover, then coyly remove it and stuff it in your pocket. If anybody asks you later what you were doing, just tell them you spotted a quarter in the grass and stopped to pick it up. They will admire your thrift.

It’s easy to overlook things, even when you know what you are looking for. It’s surprising how one can look without seeing. I once heard of a guy who was sent out by his instructor to preflight an aircraft. The student returned in about five minutes declaring it airworthy. The instructor walked back to the aircraft and showed the student that the aircraft had no propeller. Sure, it was a setup, but we only see what we want to sometimes. Read the inset paragraph below and count the number of times that the letter “F” appears. Read it now and record your answer.

Formation flying is the result of years of scientific study combined with the experience of many years.

I’ve shown this to a number of people and most of them see the letter “F” three times.

It’s easy to overlook things, even when you know what you’re looking for. I’ve reprinted the inset paragraph at the end of this article with the correct answer.

So, checklists seem kind of wimpy? But, it’s interesting to note that professional pilots use them consistently. Confirming that the aircraft is ready for flight seems like petty important stuff. But there is another, more subtle reason.

Adequate preflighting also gives you the opportunity to see how you’re doing with your regular maintenance, and to reflect on your maintenance schedule. How many hours on the plugs? On the fuel filter? When was the propeller tracking last checked? he only way I can answer these questions is to keep some kind of written record – a log. Since I regularly fly only one machine, I’ve taken to noting any significant items in my logbook. I find I just can’t trust my memory. Not since the time I overlooked changing the fuel filter by one year.

An even better idea would be to keep a regular maintenance log in some conspicuous place. Page one of your Rotax Operators Manual, in fact, recommends keeping an engine logbook Organized people do this. Your know, the kind of guy who’s oil change bucket is clean enough to use as a punchbowl. The same guy who uses a pegboard for all his tools, with neat little painted outlines showing where they go. His workbench is always clear and his toolbox has the tools aligned in order like surgical instruments. Even his nut and bolt collection is neatly sorted. Organized people are like this.

“Maybe this year I will get organized. I might even get one of those 25 cent pocket books to write things down. The new regs might require some documentation and a pocket book will be good discipline and practice. Then, maybe I won’t forget to pick tip things at Canadian Tire when I go shopping. I always forget to pick up light bulbs, lacquer thinner, gear oil, Loctite, brake fluid and a bunch of other things that I can’t remember right now. Oh yeah, one of those pocketbooks. I can also use it to jot down some titles of future articles. Titles like “How to bounce a landing, first time, every time”; “Cultivating with a propeller”; “Swathing with a propeller”; “Flying a Chinook in a Chinook”; “Beavers and other Canadian rodents”; “Ballooning in an aeroplane”. Maybe I will get two pocket books.

Back to preflight. Some things cannot be hurried. Flying is like that. Don’t forget to preflight yourself. Are you physically OK? Mentally OK? If you’re frustrated, angry or upset about something, don’t take it to the airfield with you. Flying a lightly wing-loaded machine takes skill and concentration, as forgiving as they are in other ways. The bigger machines are less forgiving but in other ways, they are easier to fly, especially in unsettled conditions. Just because you’re not flying a Cessna 172 or Citation doesn’t mean you’re a lesser pilot. The basic skills are the hardest to master, and you can’t go onto autopilot to think about whatever is center stage in your mind. Leave your problems on the shelf once you decide to go flying. They will be there when you return.

The preflight is also a good time for a little prior decision making. I like to arrive at the airport early; time to check things out and dawdle a bit; time to consider the runway in use; time to consider where I would head if the engine failed at SO feet, 100 feet, even 300 feet; time to eyeball the windsock for gustiness: time to think about density altitude; time for one last coffee and pee break; time to subdue any last minute worries, fear and trepidations; time to go now, because I’ve determined that I, the machine and the medium are ready to fly.

In summary, the preflight is done to:

1) determine the aircraft is airworthy; 2) determine that the maintenance schedule is being honoured; 3) determine that the pilot is airworthy; 4) review the plans for the flight and make some prior decisions on the ground.

The preflight always seems like a boring prelude to what comes next. Guard against familiarity breeding complacency.

Here is the inset paragraph repeated, with all of the letter “Fs” circled. There are six “Fs” – count ’em. It’s easy to overlook things even when we know what we are looking for.

Formation flying is the re­sult of years of scientific study combined with the experience of many years.

Fly safe.