Any fellow CFIs care to share their techniques to make sure students are doing a thorough enough preflight? I'm kind of short on ideas. So far all I've pulled are hiding documents and moving the fuel selector. We don't have pullable circuit breakers so any of that is out. Looking for ideas but nothing that's going to get me killed if I forget!
Preflight gotchas
- Thread starter JordanD
- Start date
Chief Captain
Well-Known Member
Go have a birdstrike with student A. Send student B out to preflight the same plane. When student B says he's ready to fly, have the following conversation:
You: Is that Blood on the cowling?
Student: Maybe...
You: Are those feathers all over the intake?
Student: I think so
You: And you want to fly?
Student: I was thinking they'd just blow away...
True story...
You: Is that Blood on the cowling?
Student: Maybe...
You: Are those feathers all over the intake?
Student: I think so
You: And you want to fly?
Student: I was thinking they'd just blow away...
True story...
caliginousface
Frank N. Beans
Remove screws from spinner or other panels, scotch tape over static/pitot/drain, spill water under the caliper bleed valve.
z987k
Well-Known Member
Was anything dented or broken?
flyingbum
Needz Re-Edjamacayshun
I let a student leave the tow-bar attached while he and I jumped in ready. Then I piped up and said, "wait a minute, lets get out for a sec, I wanna show you something". Then it gets better, with the tow-bar stowed away I let him get in the plane again. Same, same. I ask, "Where's your checklist". Student Response, Uhh...uhhh,ummmmmmmm. I pull it out of my bag, he left it in the hangar. "Oh, there it is" he says. 
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
Students forget enough on their own, don't think you need to go looking for anything else to blindside them with. Keep your eyes open, and point out things they miss.
Cessnaflyer
Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I didn't like this practice because if you forgot about something you removed then took off things can get ugly.
rframe
pǝʇɹǝʌuı
Every once in a while I do a walk around with them and say "talk as you go, tell me what you are looking at" then as they move past a section, I stop them, go back and talk about things they didn't verbalize, or I ask them what parts do, ask them if something is important, ask them what they'd do if they saw X, Y, Z. I set the tone not as a test, but as a serious review and discussion and try to really set the mood that this is their last chance to make sure this airplane is safe before they are doing 100mph at 5,000' AGL... better do it right.
caliginousface
Frank N. Beans
Understand that. I've forgotten tape on the static once, we started our roll and then I remembered. The pressure in the system at the time of the tape was much higher than when started our roll, the AS never came off the stop, then he realized there was a problem, but didn't know what yet. It was a good wake up call for me not to forget crap like that.
flyingbum
Needz Re-Edjamacayshun
I agree with drunkenbeagle
Students miss things all the time, no need to trick them. Teach and then critique.
Students miss things all the time, no need to trick them. Teach and then critique.
will_fly_for_bandwith
Well-Known Member
I observe the student (at a distance) to verify that they check the important parts. Once they get done I ask them "are you satisfied with the condition of the airplane?". My goal is to have them act like the PIC from day 1 rather than look to me for permission.
If they leave the tail tied down I will ask that they stand back and get the big picture.... works most of the time.
If they leave the tail tied down I will ask that they stand back and get the big picture.... works most of the time.
The first few lessons I would agree, but I think they need to understand WHY they're checking what they're checking. I went with the post it note idea, one on the prop, and one under the tail which a lot of people forget. Oh, good thing you caught that dent/ding, etc. poured se water next to the wheel to see if they questioned what the puddle underneath the brakes was.
Just personal opinion, but I think after doing dozens of preflights with nothing wrong some of them are getting complacent.
Just personal opinion, but I think after doing dozens of preflights with nothing wrong some of them are getting complacent.
falconvalley
Absentee Dad of the OOTSK, Runner, Cat Frustrator
Whatever system you use, it should be safe and welcoming. Lead by example. In the beginning, they are learning. Students often emulate what they like.
Yeah, I haven't done it to anyone that doesn't already know how to preflight, or should know by now anyway. Everything that I've played with is a checklist item. If they are missing them, especially if they're actually reading the checklist (something I teach them to do, at the very least do and verify) I want to know about it.
TwoTwoLeft
o- - - - - - -l
Steal gas caps, dipsticks, seats, doors, paperwork etc... That Always throws them for a loop. Pour a bunch of water under the plane to see if they notice a puddle. Randomly placed rubber chickens....
Tape around the pitot tube or static port (that makes for a good time when they miss it).
These are small, single engine airplanes were talking about here, exact airspeed is really not that critical. This exercise should make the student uncomfortable (not the CFI), then provide a valuable learning experience.
Tape around the pitot tube or static port (that makes for a good time when they miss it).
These are small, single engine airplanes were talking about here, exact airspeed is really not that critical. This exercise should make the student uncomfortable (not the CFI), then provide a valuable learning experience.
JustinS
Well-Known Member
Sometimes I hide the G1000 reference guide (required as per the KOEL to be accessible by the pilot in flight) and see if the student notice it's missing. It's part of the checklist... I'll also hide the AFM sometimes. Required documents is a good one to get them on. As others have said, the other things students naturally tend to miss, and I'm always checking critical things that I feel they might miss.
Whenever I see a puddle on the ground, I asked the student if it was water from cleaning the windshield and I'll check.
One day it wasn't water. It was a big puddle of oil. The engine driven fuel pump decided it was going to have loose screws on the diaphragm and leak oil everywhere underneath the cowling. Not to mention it could have leaked fuel under pressure in flight! Students miss enough as it is, so I don't like to mess with things. Especially because I might forget then, and as others have said it can come back to bite you.
I'll also dip the tanks myself, and ask if the student sumped the tanks. Students have forgotten to sump the tanks, and fortunately I have had agreements with their numbers when I dip the tanks. I had a friend who was not so lucky have an off field landing because he trusted someone else who he thought had dipped the tanks...
I tell them it's not that I don't trust them. It's simply "Trust, but verify."
Whenever I see a puddle on the ground, I asked the student if it was water from cleaning the windshield and I'll check.
One day it wasn't water. It was a big puddle of oil. The engine driven fuel pump decided it was going to have loose screws on the diaphragm and leak oil everywhere underneath the cowling. Not to mention it could have leaked fuel under pressure in flight! Students miss enough as it is, so I don't like to mess with things. Especially because I might forget then, and as others have said it can come back to bite you.
I'll also dip the tanks myself, and ask if the student sumped the tanks. Students have forgotten to sump the tanks, and fortunately I have had agreements with their numbers when I dip the tanks. I had a friend who was not so lucky have an off field landing because he trusted someone else who he thought had dipped the tanks...
I tell them it's not that I don't trust them. It's simply "Trust, but verify."