ON THE SAFE SIDE
Get "Cawtt" Up in Safety
by Jim Rice
I
like to have a plan for an airplane for an event.
That keeps me focused on the mission of completing
and test flying the airplane in time to fly it at
the scheduled event. If that is your style, you know
that the closer the event comes the faster you work,
the later at night you work, and maybe the more
careless you become. I try to keep a notepad by the
bench so that as I think of things I really need to
do before I complete the airplane, I can write them
down. For example, if I have test fitted the engine
and mount so that I can cut out the cowl but I
haven’t tightened the engine mount bolts or the
bolts attaching the engine to the mount, I write it
on my list so that I will remember to check that
before I take it flying. Maybe I hook up controls
but don’t have loctite on the machine screws holding
the metal servo arms to servos that have metal
output gears; I write it on the list so that I won’t
lose a control surface on a later flight. Keep a
notepad near your work site so that while you are
daydreaming at work (you all do that) you can write
yourself reminders to take home and put on your
list.
I have a checklist to go through before every
takeoff. If you get in a habit like that, you can
head off problems on the takeoff/flight. Since I was
a soldier for 26 years, I am accustomed to acronyms
so my checklist is C.A.W.T.T. I tell my students
“Don’t get cawtt taking off without using your
checklist. Go through the checklist before you take
the main runway!”
Controls:
Check control direction and all switch positions.
With computer radios, you can have the wrong
airplane or you may have changed something you
didn’t want to while changing a mix or throw between
flights. Check for high/low rates, mix switches, or
trim positions.
Antenna:
I don’t like to work on, start, or tune the engine
with the antenna out so I keep it collapsed until I
am ready to take the runway and I am safely behind
the airplane and propeller. Make sure the antenna is
completely pulled out and screwed in tightly.
Wind: Check the wind direction so you know in which
direction to take off. If there is no wind, take up
the same pattern other pilots in the air are using.
Note the wind check is after the antenna-up check so
that you can use the antenna flag as your wind sock.
Time:
Start your timer or check your watch so that you
will know when to land.
Traffic:
Clear yourself to taxi with other pilots. We don’t
have air traffic controllers so you have to do it
yourself. Ask loudly enough for all other pilots to
hear if you can come out. Do not take the runway
until all pilots at flight stations—or their
spotters—clear you. So many times I hear people yell
“coming out” then they add power and run out on the
runway. Not only might that startle other pilots,
distracting their attention from their own airplane
but, maybe your airplane will die or flip over on
the runway creating a hazard for others who might be
at the end of their fuel. Besides, it is more
courteous to ask. After you are cleared by the
others, quickly take the runway and get in the air.
They didn’t clear you to sit in the middle of the
runway and do more checks. That is why I say to go
through the checklist before you take the runway.
If you get in the habit of doing a checklist like
this before every single takeoff, not just the first
one of the day, you will be safer. When I teach a
new student, I draw his or her attention to a good
pilot as he is preparing to take off. Hopefully, he
or she will methodically go through a checklist and
reinforce your teaching. But if not, point out the
things you think were left out and the reasons they
should be done.
I tell everyone there are 1,000 things that can kill
a model airplane and I have 750 of them covered.
Every time you have an accident or see and accident
do a post mortem to see if you can isolate the
problem so it won’t attack another airplane in the
future.Q
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