Re: [COUPERS-TECH] Pre-flight checklist

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 16:10:45 -0700

Here's a particularly good one. Wrote it myself.  
 
But I don't want to encourage anyone to actually use a checklist. The fewer pilots who use checklists, the more piles of spares there will be around for my 415C in years to come.
 
Dr. R. Beeman
 

CHECKLIST ERCO Ercoupe 415C N2869H

 

GENERAL NOTE: I wrote this checklist for my own aircraft whose equipment and panel will vary from yours. You may wise to adapt it to fit your specific equipment. I do not guarantee or imply that making these checks will render your aircraft safe for flight, or that it is complete with respect to any official publication. This is merely the checklist I use, and you use it entirely at your own risk. 

Unlike most POH checklists which are equipment-specific, this checklist is action-specific. It includes all actions that should be taken preparing for flight including checking radio and nav documents during runup.

The groupings are ordered in the normal cold-to-hot sequence, and the activities within each group are ordered in the sequence of a port-to-starboard walkaround.  However, if you desire to check all fuel at one time during preflight, move the Left Wing and Right Wing fuel tank checks to appear beneath the Gascolator check.

 

1.  Cockpit

 

(1) Canopy - OPEN

(2) Ignition Key - OFF

(3) Master - ON

(4) Publications - ON BOARD

(5) Baggage compartment - CLEAR or STOWED

(6) Gust lock - OFF

(7) Strobe - TEST

(8) Position lights - TEST

(9) Landing light - TEST AS REQUIRED

(10) Master - OFF

(11) Fuel valve header tank - ON

(12) Fuel valve main tanks – ON

 

General notes on this section:

·         Master On only to test the strobe. Off immediately to conserve battery power.

 

2.  fuselage, empennage

 

(1) Skin - undamaged [popped rivets. loose or missing screws. wrinkled aluminum, significant dents]

(2) Antennae - undamaged

(3) Tail tiedown - REMOVE

(4) Rudder and elevator gaps - uniform

(5) Hinges, fasteners - intact

(6) Elevator - full range of motion

(7) Elevator trim tab - Slight deflection up and down [do not force]

(8) Verify through cockpit window - MASTER OFF

 

General notes on this section:

·         Verify Master OFF as a safety precaution before manipulating prop. As you pass the starboard canopy area, this is a convenient place to make this final check.


3.  RIGHT WING

 

(1) Hinges - UNDAMAGED

(2) Aileron - SLIGHT MOVEMENT [do not force through complete range of motion; check play visually against yoke movement]

(3) Position light - UNDAMAGED, Bail TIGHT.

(4) Leading edge fabric - TIGHT, NO RIPS or HOLES

(5) Wing root screws - TIGHT and NOT MISSING

(6) Right venturi [fuselage] - CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS

(7) Tiedown - REMOVE

(8) MLG tire - PROPERLY INFLATED [i.e., not flat]

(9) MLG brakes - VISUALLY SERVICEABLE

(10) Fuel Sump - DRAIN [first flight of the day; return to tank if clear]

(11) Fuel Tank - INSPECT LEVEL

(12) Fuel Cap - TIGHT, VENT HOLE TO FRONT

 

4.  ENGINE AREA

 

(1) Prop - NO NICKS [note: if desired to check compression, pull through reverse and note compression bumps]

(2) Spinner - TIGHT AND CONCENTRIC

(3) Air intakes and carb air duct - CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS

(4) NLG strut - SHOWS EXTENSION

(5) NLG tire - PROPER INFLATION [i.e., not flat]

(6) Engine bay [open both cowlings] - NO LEAKS, BREAKS, OBSTRUCTIONS

(7) Oil Level [wipe and re-insert] confirm - MORE THAN 3-1/2 QUARTS

[MIN 3.0 MAX 4.0]

(8) Gascolator – - DRAIN UNTIL CLEAR

(9) Cowling access panels - SECURE AND LOCKED

(10) Header Fuel Tank - FULL

(11) Header Fuel Tank Fuel Gauge - FULL RANGE OF MOTION

(12) Header Fuel Tank cap - TIGHT, VENT HOLE TO FRONT

 

5.  LEFT WING

 

(1) Left venturi [fuselage] - CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS

(2) Wing root screws - TIGHT and NOT MISSING

(3) Fuel Sump - DRAIN [first flight of the day; return to tank if clear]

(4) Fuel Tank - INSPECT LEVEL

(5) Fuel Cap - TIGHT, VENT HOLE TO FRONT

(6) Leading edge fabric - TIGHT, NO RIPS or HOLES

(7) MLG brakes - VISUALLY SERVICEABLE

(8) MLG tire - PROPERLY INFLATED [i.e., not flat]

(9) Pitot cover - FREE [cycle with finger] or REMOVE, Hole UNOBSTRUCTED

(10) Tiedown - REMOVE

(11) Position light - UNDAMAGED, Bail TIGHT.

(12) Aileron - SLIGHT MOVEMENT [do not force through complete range of motion; check play visually against yoke movement]

(13) Hinges - UNDAMAGED

 

6. BEFORE STARTING ENGINE

 

(1) Verify fuel valve header tank - ON

(2) Verify fuel valve main tanks - ON

(3) Seatbelt – ADJUST AND LOCK

(4) Brakes – TEST AND SET

(5) Master – ON [Master Light – GREEN]

(6) Cockpit lighting - AS REQUIRED

(7) Generator - ON

(8) Circuit breakers - ARMED

(9) Carb Heat - OFF

(10) Mixture - RICH

(11) Throttle - 1/8” or 1-2 turns clockwise

(12) Prime - AS REQUIRED

(13) Primer - LOCKED

(14) Mags - BOTH

(15) Propeller area - CLEAR

(16) Starter – ENGAGE

 

General notes on this section:

·         Fuel petcock position verification is included again in order to make this checklist also usable for an inter-flight walkaround.

 

 

7. AFTER STARTING ENGINE

 

(1) Oil Pressure - GREEN min 10 max 30 seconds

[30 lb/in2 or + cold]

(2) Radios - ON

(3) Intercom - TEST as required

(4) Flight Instrumentation and Radios - SET

(5) Position lights - AS REQUIRED

(6) Landing light - AS REQUIRED

(7) Strobe – ON

(8) Navigation documents – IN ORDER AND AVAILABLE

(9) Radios - SET

RUNUP

 

(1) Brakes – TEST AND SET

(2) Mixture - RICH

(3) Throttle - 1700

(4) Oil pressure - [30 lb/in2 or greater when cold]

(5) Ammeter - positive deflection

(6) MAG check - [150 rpm drop, 75 rpm differential]

(7) Carb heat - MOMENTARY RPM DROP

(8) Throttle - IDLE

(9) Mixture – FULL RICH

(10) Nav Docs and Radios – SET TO FIRST LEG

 

TAKE OFF

 

(1) Canopy – AS DESIRED

(2) HDI to runway heading - SET

(3) Throttle – FULL OPEN

(4) Mixture - RICH

(5) Carb Heat – OFF

(6) Rotation – 50 MPH IAS NORMAL, 70 MPH IAS XWIND

(6) Climb speed – Vx  60 MPH IAS, Vy  50 MPH IAS, ENROUTE 80 MPH IAS

 

ENROUTE CLIMB and LEVEL OFF

 

(1) Airspeed - 80 MPH IAS

(2) Suction gauges – OPERABLE RANGE

(3) Heading Indicator - SET TO VERTICAL CARD COMPASS

(4) Gyro horizon - SET

(5) Oil pressure – MIN 10 PSI  MAX 100 PSI

(6) Oil temperature - GREEN ARC

 

General notes on this section:

·         Where HDI and gyro horizon are both vacuum driven, both must be set in flight. HDI set to runway heading to initialize.

 

 

MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE CLIMB

 

(1) Throttle – FULL OPEN

(2) Airspeed – 60 MPH IAS

(3) Mixture – RICH [unless engine is rough: lean as required]

 

DESCENT CHECK

 

(1) Mixture - RICH

(2) Carb Heat - AS REQUIRED

(3) Throttle - AS DESIRED

 

General notes on this section:

·         If fuel burn management techniques include leaning at altitude it is absolutely imperative to conduct a descent check in order to insure Mixture RICH on descent.

 

 

NORMAL LANDING

 

(1) Mixture - RICH

(2) Carb Heat - ON

(3) Airspeed - 70 to 80 MPH IAS

 

AFTER LANDING

 

(1) Mixture - RICH

(2) Carb Heat - OFF

(3) Canopy - OPEN

(4) Strobe - OFF

 

SHUTDOWN

(1) Header Tank Fuel Valve - OFF

(2) Radios – OFF

(3) Electrical equipment - OFF

(4) Throttle - IDLE

(5) Mixture - LEAN

(6) Mags - OFF

(7) Master – OFF

General notes on this section:

·         Header tank petcock is turned off first in order to deplete the Gascolator and float bowl.




-----Original Message-----
From: Randy Hougham <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sep 27, 2006 9:37 AM
To: Coupers-Tech
Subject: [COUPERS-TECH] Pre-flight checklist

----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]----


Hi All,

Does anyone have a good pre-flight/ walk around check list?

Thanks,
Randy Hougham
Grandpa's Ercoupe
NC87384
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