AviZone

        The foundation of conducting an effective External Check is knowing the aircraft. Damage from a previous flight that is missed during an External Check can be attributed to the new crew who either conducted the External Check poorly or caused it! Knowledge, attention to detail and vigilance will prevent things being missed. As well as checking technical items, crews must keep an eye on the big picture on the ramp and be alert to suspicious people or packages. It is important that flight crew conducting an External Check know: what all the visible probes, vents, ports and indicators such as fire bottle discharge indicators are for and what they look like normally. That will make it easier to spot any abnormality. what the landing gear locks and steering pins look like and where they are located when fitted. Hydraulic leaks and problems with gear legs can be difficult to spot, particularly by night. what the brake wear indicators should look like, i...

                              Pre Flight External Check by  Fight Crew   is part of the basis for the Captain's Aircraft Acceptance which must be formally recorded in the  Aircraft Technical Log  prior to every flight departure. It is primarily, therefore, a general visual inspection of those aspects of fitness of the aircraft for flight which can be verified wholly or partly in that way. Incidentally it also provides an opportunity to observe the environment in which the aircraft is parked and may sometimes allow the observation of aspects of aircraft hold loading and routine aircraft servicing. It is entirely unrelated to the separate requirements for appropriately qualified aircraft maintenance technicians to carry out scheduled checks and inspections necessary for the  Certificate of Release to Service  to be signed and, in some cases, to remain valid for the specif...

 M.A.301 Continuing Airworthiness Tasks     The aircraft continuing airworthiness and the serviceability of both operational and   emergency equipment shall be ensured by:          1. the accomplishment of pre-flight inspections;          2. the rectification in accordance with the data specified in point M.A. 304 and/or  point M.A. 401, as applicable, of any defect and damage affecting safe operation  taking   into account, for all large aircraft or aircraft used for commercial air  transport,  the minimum equipment list and configuration deviation list as   applicable to the aircraft type;          3. the accomplishment of all maintenance, in accordance with the M.A.302 approved AMP ;         4. for all large aircraft or aircraft used for commercial air transport the analysis of the  effectiveness  of the M.A.302 approved AMP...

  SAFETY NOTICE Number: SN–2013/002  24 January 2013        CAA issued this Safety Notice is to re-emphasise to pilots the need to fully complete   pre-flight checks, and specifically to ensure that the aircraft is free from tie-down constraints  before being manoeuvred.            Recent reports submitted through the Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Scheme concern  aircraft being taxied, and in one case taking off, with tie-down restraints still attached. In all  cases these involved rope attachments to bulky objects such as weighted tyres and concrete  blocks. All of the aircraft involved were light single-engine piston, low-wing types where the  wing tie-down attachment points were hidden from the cockpit. In addition to the hazard to  normal controlled flight, some of the reports featured damage to the wing-flaps and superficial  damage to the runway surface. It seems to have been...

           Pre-flight checks on the first flight after maintenance           It need to be more particular than usual in  pre-flight  checks on the first flight after maintenance has been completed. A recent occurrence report emphasises  that point.                      It seems the engineers had been interrupted  in their work, and two inspection panels were n ot  closed properly; only a few screws had   been replaced, and these were standing   proud. When the crew arrived to take the  aircraft for its first flight after the  maintenance, the panels were still loose.  However, because they were under the low  wing they were not easily seen, and indeed  they were not noticed. After take-off, when  the airflow caught the panels, they were  damaged and one actually came off.        ...

Propellers always be treated as ‘live’.               A report in the AAIB Bulletin  concerns a Beagle Pup whose engine burst into life while the  pilot was turning the propeller as part of the external pre-flight checks as described in his copy of the  aircraft’s Flight Manual. Because the throttle was fully open and the mixture fully rich, again in  accordance with the written procedure, the aircraft broke free of its tie-downs, clipped the wing of a  parked aeroplane, and crashed into an earth embankment.            It appears that the ignition switch was actually selected to ‘left’ despite there being no key in the  switch. However, the investigation was particularly concerned with the Flight Manual procedure, and  amendments have been made to all Pup Flight Manuals to require an idle throttle setting and mixture to  CUTOFF during the pre-flight check.     ...

       It is required to inspect the aircraft more frequently for the signs of bird activity through the spring and into mid-summer. Some bird species such as the  Sparrow instinctively seek out nesting cavity locations safe from  predators.             Small hollow spaces offered by a parked airplane can seem like an ideal location for these nuisance birds to nest.             A bird nest left unchecked in an airplane can result in costly maintenance and damage. By blocking cooling airflow  the nesting materials can cause critical aircraft systems to overheat. Also a bird nest can interfere with flight control movements.             Starlings which are particularly known to be untidy nesters will use all sorts of trash-type debris that can collect moisture and introduce foreign objects into the airfoil and fuselage structures.  ...

Pre-flight inspection requirement - away from base CAR 145.A.30(J)4. In the case of aircraft operating away from a supported location the organisation may issue a limited certification authorisation to the commander and/or the flight engineer on the basis of the flight crew licence held subject to being satisfied that sufficient practical training has been carried out to ensure that the commander or flight engineer can accomplish the specified task to the required standard. The provisions of this paragraph shall be detailed in an exposition procedure. GM 145.A.30(j)(4) Personnel requirements (Flight crew) 1. The person shall be a holder of an ATPL or a CPL, issued in accordance with Schedule II of the Aircraft Rules, 1937. 2. The person shall be a holder of a Flight Engineers Licence, issued in accordance with Schedule II of the Aircraft Rules, 1937. The theoretical knowledge instruction consists of 100 hours and includes the following elements: 1. Airframe and systems 2. El...

FAA advised revised fuel sampling procedure before preflight. Procedure  With the airplane in the normal ground attitude and starting at the highest drain location, check all drain locations for contaminants before every flight, whether or not refueling has occurred. Have fuel sample disposal provisions, proper lighting, and a small ladder at your disposal to properly check for fuel tank system contamination. • Drain at least one cup of fuel (using a clear sampler cup) from each drain location. • Drain the fuel strainer as required to completely flush its contents in each of the fuel selector positions. • Check for water, clarity, cloudiness, haze, proper fuel type/grade (i.e.; 100LL is light blue in tint, jet fuel is clear or yellowish), odor, or other contaminants. • If any contamination is detected in the fuel tank system, thoroughly drain all drain locations again. • If contamination is observed, take further samples until the fuel appears clear,...