PREFLIGHT STARTS WITH YOU!
We spend plenty of time teaching aircraft preflight, but before checking fuel, oil, or flight controls, there’s another preflight to consider: The Pilot before every flight, make sure you have the required personal documents and that they’re current.
Under 14 CFR §61.3, pilots must have their pilot certificate, appropriate medical certificate (when required), and government-issued photo identification readily accessible when exercising pilot privileges.
For student pilots, don’t forget about required logbook endorsements. An endorsement you received earlier in training may also have an expiration or limitation that needs to be checked.
And documents are only part of the picture. Ask yourself: Am I current? Am I proficient? Am I medically fit to fly today? Consider recent flight experience, passenger-carrying requirements, and any limitations associated with your certificate or medical. Being legal to fly and being prepared to fly are not always the same thing. A thorough preflight doesn’t begin at the airplane. Before determining whether the aircraft is ready to fly, make sure the pilot is too.
FLAP TIMING & INDICATION — KNOW YOUR AIRPLANE
A quick reminder on flap operation in our Cessna 172s! According to the 1976 C172 POH (Section 7, page 7-9), full flap extension in flight takes approximately 9 seconds. With 30° of available flaps, that works out to roughly 3 seconds per 10° of flap extension.
Remember that the flap position indicator may not indicate perfectly while the flaps are actively moving. Once the flaps have reached the selected position and stopped, however, the indicator should accurately reflect the flap position. If the indication remains inaccurate after the flaps have stopped moving, please let an instructor or maintenance know.
As always, use the aircraft’s actual flap position and POH guidance rather than relying solely on counting seconds. Knowing how the system is designed to operate helps us recognize when something isn't behaving normally.
Congratulations to Our Students!!!!
Checkride Pass:
- Thomas Austin - PPL
- PJ Comose - CPL
- Jonathan Scroggins - IRA
- Conor Bartholomew- CPL
- Jackson Clark - CFI-I
- Evan Sanders - IRA
- Logan Patyi - CFI-I
Student Survey:
Matthew 6:31-33 "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."