For me it’s critically important to always check the fuel level, even if my student has already done so. I complete the entire checklist in a DO-CONFIRM method and then I go back and take fuel samples and ultimately complete the fuel quantity checks as the last item during my preflight inspection. When I mentioned that everyone has their own approach, here is an example… I follow a unique procedure that I developed when I preflight a the Cessna 172. However, when it comes to a Cessna 172 (later models) or a Cherokee 180, I will use a DO-CONFIRM approach, as I am extremely familiar with these types due to my experience. For aircraft I am less familiar with I will utilize the READ-DO technique. This technique is more common of pilot’s once they are more familiar with an aircraft.Įveryone has their own approach that works. Any item not specifically recalled will be checked again and thus confirmed. An inspector utilizing this technique will complete the checklist first, then confirm that each item was done by reading the section. This will enable the pilot to make more effective preflight inspections.Īnother method, more prevalent in the preflight inspection environment is the DO-CONFIRM method. Early during the transition, considerable effort should be invested in learning the checklist items and design of the aircraft. This is true for experienced pilots transitioning to a new aircraft as well, whether that aircraft is more or less complex. Before you knew specifically what you were looking for or what you were potentially likely to find, you were learning what you needed to check on the aircraft. Think of this as how you did it when you first started ‘preflighting’ the aircraft. There is READ-DO, where an item is read on the checklist then individually checked. Making an extra, 360-degree, walk around the aircraft with a focus on the big picture can help you avoid missing something critical…Ĭhecklist usage can be completed in multiple ways. This procedure allowed the (pilot) inspector to develop a flow of memory items. Instead, the inspector would progress around the aircraft without having to bounce or backtrack. This ensured that all items were inspected and the order was coordinated to prevent bouncing around during the inspection, which could lead to an item being missed inadvertently. Previously, while teaching at a school that offered a large fleet of aircraft, I worked with other flight instructors as well as the mechanics to adapt the manufacturers’ checklists into more detailed checklists that incorporated a “flow”.
There are countless techniques when it comes to the preflight inspection, but there is one key element that serves as a solid safety foundation at the conclusion of each inspection to tie all of the preflight activities together… This piece is known as, “The 360”! Let’s discuss…Ī preflight inspection can follow a manufacturer’s checklist to the “T” or possibly another procedure that was developed to ensure all items are covered. Similarly, an effective preflight inspection is the key to a safe flight. Olympic sprinters will say that a clean start is the key to a good race. A proper preflight inspection is a critical component of each and every flight we make.
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