Reading the POH—Updated Checklists
I recently stumbled upon a conversation about how many times you should cycle the prop when doing your runup. One poster said that since the Pilots Operating Handbook says to do it once, that’s what they are going to do. And in general, following the POH is a good idea. Especially if you have a newer aircraft that actually has a serial specific Airplane Flight Manual and not the older owner’s manual. However, the Owners Handbook for my 1968 Cherokee, 1963 Cessna 182, and the Owner’s Manual for my 1973 Cessna 210 are each over 40 years old. A lot has changed in that time and some of the information in the manuals has been superseded by evidence accumulated over the years. And some of it is just not applicable as a practical matter. This post is a list of things that you might want to consider when reading your POH.
Updating your checklists
Several things have changed over the years that require updating your checklists. Among them are the introduction of GPS nav systems, the change to 100LL fuel, different procedures regarding anti-collision lights, the existence of TFRs, and changes to ATC instructions.
Check TFRs and NOTAMs
If you use ForeFlight or other flight planning and moving map tools, they will depict the TFRs for you. I have run into unexpected TFRs when the FAA was doing ILS tests, fires that sprung up, and airshows. Another reason to use flight following is that they will ask your intentions if your flight path looks like it will take you into a TFR.
It’s also easy to check NOTAMs and there is no reason not to do it before each flight. I always check them and it sometimes makes a big difference to my flight. On one occasion I was planning on following another pilot into Catalina to drop off some kids. It turns out that the airport was closed for resurfacing that day. On another occasion when I was going to pick up someone at Santa Monica, the president was in town and the airport was closed. And of course there is Senator Inhofe’s infamous landing at an airport that was closed and had construction equipment and men on the runway.
Lean Aggressively
In the previous post I discussed why engines that were originally designed for 80/87 will foul their plugs if not leaned aggressively on the ground and in the air. It’s a good idea for high compression engines as well. In my startup checklist, I set the RPM to 1000, check that I have oil pressure, note the fuel pressure and fuel quantities, and then immediatly lean aggressively.
Leave the Rotating Beacon On
AIM 4-3-23. Use of Aircraft Lights …aircraft equipped with an anti−collision light system are required to operate that light system during all types of operations (day and night).
Standard practice, not mentioned in the POH is to leave the rotating beacon on at all times. Leaving it on serves two purposes. First, you know it is on when you start the engine so others know that there is a moving prop. Second, if you forget to turn off the master, you’ll notice the beacon is flashing when you tie down. And if you don’t notice, chances are good that other people on the field will.
I rarely forget to turn the master off on shut-down, Radios, Mixture, Master, Mags was drilled into me when I was learning, but I have forgotten to turn off the master when entering flight plans. When I was first learning about the GNS430 I spent some time in the hangar programming it and working through the buttons. When I came in the next day, the gear doors were down. The battery had drained and when there is no power the system releases the door locking mechanism.
Set the Transponder
AIM 4−1−20. Transponder Operation 3. Civil and military transponders should be turned to the “on” or normal altitude reporting position prior to moving on the airport surface to ensure the aircraft is visible to ATC surveillance systems.
Not all airports are able to see you on the ground, but you need to turn it on anyway. This is a change from previous practice where you would set the transponder to “on” to warm it up and then to “alt” when you taxied from the runup area.
The FAA has just issued a Safety Alert For Operators, SAFO 15006, that “advises all operators and pilots of the need to ensure that transponders are in the altitude reporting mode whenever their aircraft is on an airport movement area at all airports.”
Don’t forget to squawk VFR after exiting the runway.
I use the FLAGS pneumonic,
Flaps (Cowl and Wing),
Lean Aggressively,
Air—it gets hot if the windows aren’t open,
Ground, give them a call for taxi instructions,
Squawk VFR.
Turn on your lights
AIM 4−3−23. Use of Aircraft Lights e. Prior to commencing taxi, it is recommended to turn on navigation, position, anti-collision, and logo lights (if equipped). To signal intent to other pilots, consider turning on the taxi light when the aircraft is moving or intending to move on the ground, and turning it off when stopped or yielding to other ground traffic.
I installed LED landing lights that won’t burn out after a short time in service. So I leave them on when in flight.
Don’t Set the Parking Brake
The POHs often recommend setting the parking brake when securing the aircraft and when doing the runup. This is not a good idea except momentarily when parking on an incline. John Deakin in #77 of his series Pelican’s Perch says this way better than I can, so I’ll just quote him about whether you should set the parking brake.
A very strong “No!” answers this question, for those airplanes with anything but power brakes. For example, my Bonanza has the conventional “master/slave” cylinder type, where the foot pedal squeezes the hydraulic fluid, making pressure in the line down to the brake. There the fluid presses against “something” that creates friction. It may be an expander tube, a set of brake pucks, or disc brakes. The key is that line between the cockpit and the brake. There is no provision for expansion, no hydraulic accumulator in that line, and pulling the parking brake handle simply closes a valve and traps whatever fluid is in there, sealing it off. It takes only a tiny, unnoticeable leak to drop that pressure to nothing, and the parking brake will no longer hold the airplane. At the other extreme, set that parking brake on a cool evening, then have the temperature heat up a lot the next day. If that line is perfect, and holds pressure, you may see enough pressure rise to blow the plumbing.
For runup, hold the brakes, and above all, maintain “outside awareness,” both for “creeping,” and for whatever else might be taking place. I have seen people set the inadequate parking brake, then do a runup, and creep clear across the runup pad, not recognizing the crisis until the aircraft moves into the rough. They look silly, and wonder how they got there. If at all possible, I’ll remain silent and let them do that. It’s an excellent lesson, as long as no damage is done.