22 March 2004

Operations Bulletin 2004-01

Sayings, Limericks, Doggerel, and Sage Advice (with a little parsley, rosemary, and thyme)

1. Virginia Wing has completed a very good Compliance Inspection. We received many comments on doing things correctly. These comments were on what we had done. We have to continue to maintain a 100 % thrust towards doing it right. Old saying, Flying is not inherently unsafe, but the air even more than the sea is terribly unforgiving of mistakes. Let's not drop our guard. Always use checklists and CRM. It is very hard to stay at maximum levels but that is what will keep us out of trouble. Never take short cuts, never try to convince yourself that you have to fly, sage advice, You never have to be anywhere in a airplane. Use ORM, make sure the numbers add up to "this is a good idea."

2. Limerick, Spring is sprung, the grass is ris, I wonder where da boidies is? The boidies is like the old boll weevil, "Just a looking for a home, a place to build a nest." That home maybe is your airplane. The top of the engine is a great place. Sheltered, rent free, a good neighborhood. Maybe that is already taken. Inside the tail section is a good choice too. The realty agent said we could set up housekeeping right away. We do much better than Pulte Brothers. They take 4 months to build a house. We can do it in 3 hours.

3. Well they did it. Now what? You cannot call the sheriff to dispossess the squatters. You have to do it yourself. But how did you know they were there? Saw the telltale signs, bits of straw, pieces of yarn, small twigs, and the ever-present signature of splotch. (I should not have to explain. Ask your mother what bird splotch is.) So you think about it for a minute. Is that a nest in only a corner of the engine? It won't make much difference in the cooling, it only affects one cylinder, have 3 others. Life is good. Ever smelled burning feathers, burning bits of wood or straw in an airplane? Seen smoke come into the cabin, had the engine run rough as it is coming apart, tends to ruin the day as well as requiring you to fill out all those reports to CAP, the FAA, NTSB and the local constable for landing on the highway to say nothing of that guy whose Rolls you scratched when you touched down on his roof.

4. Never did like to complete CAPF 78. So let's get the nest out. It might even make a good birds nest soup. Let's see how we do this. First we have to get the propeller out of the way of the cowl openings. Better make sure the mag switch is off before we move the prop. A good idea is to put the ignition key in your pocket. Since you are planning to fly you won't go home with it anyway. Carefully turn the prop to the vertical position, look inside the cowl, (a flashlight is very helpful) and see what or who is in there. There it is on the left side over the last cylinder about 4 inches across and 2 inches high. If you can read a Lycoming or Cessna part number on it, it is part of the airplane, if not it is a feathered friends home. With a little luck it is not presently inhabited. You reach in and pull out all you can see and feel. Did you get it all? Maybe, maybe not. Get a mirror and hold it so you can look down into the engine where the nest was, if in doubt take the top cowl off and check. If there is any question in your mind refer to "Sage advice" in paragraph 1.

5. Our clients liked the tail better. Same signs as above. Still not sure of what splotch is? Oh well. You start pulling out grass, straw, twigs, an old sock but can't reach it all. Some times a long nose pliers helps or there is a vacuum cleaner handy. You want to get it all but you cannot. What are the consequences? There is not much weight in a bird's nest unless you happen upon an eagle's nest but not too many make their homes in airplanes. A small amount of weight can unbalance a control. Some of the problems that can be created are of jamming a control, flutter, and corrosion. If you are in doubt get a mechanic to look at the airplane. If parts have to be removed to clean out the detritus get in touch with the local maintenance officer or custodial officer and they will make arrangements to have the work done.

6. Make sure the cowl plugs are removed before starting. I know we always do that, except for the one on my desk that has seen better days when the prop flung it about forty feet. Never did find the other piece.

7. A new item has been added to the Airplane Information Folder (AIF). The blue book with the zipper around it (except for 51X which is purple). The second tab now holds The Sentinel. This is a safety of flight publication and is mandatory reading. When you have read this months issue, sign the sheet that is at that tab. We are going to put a copy of all the Wing Operations Bulletins at this tab also. You can read these before coming to the airport, as they are available on the paperless wing. When you sign the sheet you are saying you read all the items in tab 2.

8. Winds are rather gusty in the spring and quite changeable. Know the cross wind limitations of both the aircraft's and your personal one. Practice cross wind landings. Look at the wind sock on short final for the current wind. If you have forgotten, the pointy end is down wind. Keep the wing on the wind side down. Keep the aircraft going straight with the rudders. After touch down keep the wind correction in (but be sure to straighten your rudders before you lower the nose wheel). If you are uncomfortable with cross wind landings and gusty conditions, spring is a great time to schedule some time with a CAP instructor and sharpen your technique. When you are taxiing know which way the ailerons and elevator must be held based on the location of the wind to the airplane. If you have forgotten there is a diagram in the POH but know it before hand. While the airplane is drifting sideways is not a good time to be trying to find the page. Old saying from tail wheel pilots that might save your bacon some day, you have to fly the airplane all the way to the tie down.

9. Many years ago one of the old timers came up with the comment that flying should be fun. It will be if you keep on top operations. Just a little distraction can make a four place aircraft into a four passenger aircraft.

10. Last. Nothing in any manual will replace good judgment on the firing line.

Eric Rand Litt, Lt Col, CAP
Director of Operations