Preflight Assessment

A.W.K.R.A.F.T.

• All information available 

• Weather

• Known ATC delays 

• Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR)

• Runway lengths and status

• Alternate airports

  • Mandatory for IFR flights

• Fuel requirements 

1. • FAA minimum: 30 minutes for day, 45 minutes for night

   • Academy minimum: 1 hour

• Takeoff and landing distances

• No minimums required under Part 91, unless mandated by a departure procedure.

• Parts 121, 125, 129 and 135:

  • Published minimums for a runway

  • 1-2 engines: 1 SM visibility

  • More than two engines: 1/2 SM visibility

To operate IFR in controlled airspace:

• Must be on a filed IFR flight plan

• Receive appropriate ATC clearance

Minimum Fuel Requirements: 

• Fuel to get from departure to destination plus...

• From destination to alternate, if required, plus...

• 45 minutes calculated at normal cruising speed

S.P.A.R.R.O.W.

• Supplements: manuals for extra equipment installed in the aircraft, found in section 9 of the POH. (G1000)

• Placards: markings and stickers placed in an aircraft, stating operation instructions or limitations for that aircraft. Placards are found in section 2-20 of the POH. If any listed is not installed, the aircraft is not airworthy.

• Airworthiness Certificate: certificate given to the aircraft when all the requirements to be airworthy are met. It does not expire but must be kept current with required inspections. (FAR 01.203)

A.V.I.A.T.E.S.

• Airworthiness Directives: mandatory inspections issued by the FAA when they see a problem in the aircraft. There are two types: (FAR: 39)

  • Urgent

  • Non-Urgent (2)

    • One time

    • Recurrent

• VOR : inspections done every 30 days. Required only for IFR flights. (91.171)

• VOT ±4º

• Repair Station: ±4º

• Airborne Checkpoint: ±6º

• Ground Checkpoint: ±4º

• Dual: ±4º

• Landmark: ±6º

• Log date, place, bearing error, and signature

• Inspections: (FAR 91.409)

  • 100-hour: required for aircraft for hire. Cannot be overflown unless it is taken to maintenance (+10 hours). Any time into the ten hour buffer will be deducted from the next 100-hour block. Beyond this ten hour buffer, a SFP is required. 

    • Can be performed by A&P (Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic)

  • Annual: Done every 12 calendar months. Cannot be overflown.

    • Can be performed by A&P with an IA (Inspection Authority)

• Altimeter: needs to be inspected every 24 calendar months. Required only for IFR flights. (FAR 91.411)

• Transponder: needs to be inspected every 24 calendar months. (FAR 91.413)

• ELT: needs to be inspected every 12 months, after use of one cumulative hour, or ½ of battery used. (FAR 91.207)

  • Memory aid: 12|1|.5 (emergency frequency)

• Static Pressure System: needs to be inspected every 24 calendar months. (FAR 91.411)

• Registration: Required for all aircraft. A registration has a valid period and some situations of which a registration wouldn’t be valid. (FAR 91.203)

7.30.F.T.D.U.C

• 7 years

• 30 days after the owner’s death

• Foreign registration 

• Transfer of ownership

• Destruction of aircraft

• US citizenship loss

• Cancellation upon request

• Radio License: Only needed if flying international. One for the pilot and the aircraft.

• Operations Manual: (FAR 91.9 & 21.5)

• Serial number

• Tail number

• Weight and Balance

• Weight and Balance: must have the most current data. (FAR 23.2620)

A.T.O.M.A.T.O.E.F.L.A.M.E.S & F.L.A.P.S. & G.R.A.B.C.A.R.D.

-Day-

• Altimeter 

• Tachometer (for each engine)

• Oil pressure gauge (for each engine using pressure system)

• *Manifold pressure gauge (only for controllable pitch propellers and each altitude engines)

• Airspeed indicator 

• *Temperature gauge (only needed in liquid-cooled engine)

• Oil temperature gauge (only needed in air-cooled engine)

• Emergency equipment (floating gear if flying beyond power-off gliding distance from shore, for hire only)

• Fuel gauges (for each tank)

• *Landing gear position indicator (only retractable gear)

• Anti-collision lights (aviation red or white or strobes after 03/11/96)

• Magnetic direction indicator

• ELT (exception for aircraft engaged in training within a 50-nautical mile radius of the airport from which flight began)

• Safety belts and harness

-Night-

• Fuses (3 of each type, or circuit breakers)

• Landing light (only for hire)

• Anti-collision lights (aviation red or white or strobes, after 08/11/1971)

• Position lights (green-red)

• Source of electrical power (generator, alternator, battery)

-IFR-

• Generator or alternator

• Radios and navigation suitable for route

• Attitude indicator

• Ball (inclinometer)

• Clock (hours, minutes, seconds)

• Altimeter

• Rate of turn indicator

• Directional gyro

*does not apply to C172

• No flying without a SAP if equipment is listed in 91.205, or required by AD (K.T.A.A.)

• Other inoperative equipment must be removed or placarded and a pilot/mechanic deems safe to fly