Post Flight Inspection

luvflyin

luvflyin

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Luvflyin
Do you do post flight inspections? I don’t do a full preflight, but do a pretty thorough walk around. Another thread had something found on a preflight that almost certainly didn’t happen while the plane was just sitting there waiting for the next flight.
 
Ill give it a general once over as I tie it down looking for anything obvious like a leak or broken damaged parts. I will also pull the prop through by hand occasionally to test cylinder health.
 
I look around for any oil/hydraulic leaks, put on pitot covers, plug in batteryminder, clean windshield and download engine data.

This helps ensure I don’t have any surprises during the next pre-flight.
 
Basically the same as the above. I’ll eyeball the struts, plug in the battery maintainer and clean off any bug splatter on the windscreen and/or leading edges. Pretty much your typical housekeeping items following a flight.
 
Ryanb said:
Basically the same as the above. I’ll eyeball the struts, plug in the battery maintainer and clean off any bug splatter on the windscreen and/or leading edges. Pretty much your typical housekeeping items following a flight.
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The Luscombe is so slow the bugs simply fly around it.
 
I'll do an abbreviated mag check on the way in to parking. Then when parked I'll do a mag shut off to see if each engine would quit running if I turned off the mags.
 
I pretty much just do a quick walk around, plug in the cowl inlet covers, and pitot tube cover. Make note of the fuel level, Hobbs, and tach. And be on my way. I’m at a full service FBO so sometimes I’ll stick around and watch it get tucked away in the hangar if they’re doing it then. I live very very close to the airport so if I’m going to take it on a longer trip I’ll generally go the airport the day before and prep it up (oil, clean the windows, check large items) that way when I do my walk around preflight inspection before I go flying there’s no big surprises.
 
When I was tying down after my IR ride, the DPE told me that I was done, except for one thing. Postflight procedures was what he was looking for. It's in the ACS.
 
Arnold said:
Secure airplane, while doing so inspect for faults. Check oil. Attend to oil as necessary. Download data - achieved by photographing tach.
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Ryanb said:
Basically the same as the above. I’ll eyeball the struts, plug in the battery maintainer and clean off any bug splatter on the windscreen and/or leading edges. Pretty much your typical housekeeping items following a flight.
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My post flight is same as above, except I don't add any oil since oil needs to drain back to sump for accurate measurement. I'm hangar'ed, and also remove the oil filler cap and roll-up a heavy paper shop towel and stick it in the filler mouth to absorb water vapor from the case.
 
First thing I do is open the cowl and crack open the oil filler to let the steam out of the engine while I wipe off the bugs, hook up the battery maintainer, install the pitot and cowl plugs, and empty the cockpit of stuff that needs to get removed, charged and/or updated.
 
GeorgeC said:
When I was tying down after my IR ride, the DPE told me that I was done, except for one thing. Postflight procedures was what he was looking for. It's in the ACS.
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A few years ago our neighboring FSDO had 2 corrupt DPE's taking bribes to pass. Everyone they certified for the prior two years had their ticket pulled and FAA mandated retesting both oral and flight exam. That FSDO leader was reassigned to our FDSO and he cracked down hard on DPE's to rigorously go by the book. No corruption was found or alleged. Most of the DPE's left over the mandate to ensure all orals were 3+ hours and very overly rigorous flight exams. Some protested the exam went beyond the regs. We were down to only 2 DPE's which really backed up the the wait list to months for a check ride.

I saw one poor student who was excited he did well on his overall test performance. He had to retest because he did not tie down his plane after properly parking it. He did set the parking brake. Yes he had to wait 4 weeks and pay for another exam. The good news was he was only charged $325 instead of $475. :7)
 
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eman1200 said:
mostly I just cuddle with her for a few minutes, then fall asleep. :happydance:
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I thought kath had the monkey...

Post-flight, I usually fill the tanks and then taxi to the hangar or tie-down. If there is a staffed FBO, I leave my tail number and phone number with the staff so they can call me during business hours to ask if I want them to repair my flat tire without having to call in the night mechanic when I get back to the airport at 5:01 pm on Friday—ask how I learned that trick.

In my own hangar, I try to park in the same place in the hangar every time so any unusual oil drips are easy to catch. I occasionally but don’t always do a post-flight mag check. My preflight often involves saying out loud “I really should clean the bugs off the windshield right away after I fly” but I generally forget having said that by the time I finish flying.

Then I take my life into my hands by trying to remember how to drive a car (sometimes harder than it should be) and entering the dangerous public highway system.
 
NordicDave said:
I saw one poor student who was excited he did well on his overall test performance. He had to retest because he did not tie down his plane after properly parking it. He did set the parking brake.
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So for the retest all he had to do was tie down the airplane.?? :lol:
 
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Zeldman said:
So for the retest all he had to do was tie down the airplane.?? :lol:
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Probably he had to tie it down several times to prove he could get a good tautline hitch in a variety of ropes.
 
Zeldman said:
So for the retest all he had to do was tie down the airplane.?? :lol:
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Yup! If I recall correctly, DPE failed him on post flight procedures, and had him taxi to ramp parking and tie down after performing post flight procedures again. $325 is not bad for 45 mins work.
 
Only if I have a bad landing! At my airline we are required to do a post flight walk around after the last flight of the day.
 
jordane93 said:
Only if I have a bad landing! At my airline we are required to do a post flight walk around after the last flight of the day.
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You forgot which forum you’re on. No one cares about the RJ...what do you do with the Cirrus? :)
 
jordane93 said:
I don’t bother myself with pesky pre flights or post flights in the Cirrus. I expect the plane to be ready to go in a heated hangar when I arrive!
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Cirrus post-flight checklist:
pop-champagne.jpg
 
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