Pre-Flight

page 5

Pre-Flight - plane and places

Your time is valuable – depend on me to review options and recommend affordable premium choices to best meet your needs.  As world-famous oil field firefighter Red Adair cautioned wisely:  “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”

Factors that could alter the way you perform your pre-flight inspection

  1. Your Personal Plane – You are more familiar of any special circumstances or conditions – but resist the natural tendency to become complacent!
  1. Rental or Flight School or Flight Club Plane – Are you familiar with this particular model, its engine and instrumentation, its flight characteristics, its load and weight and balance limitations? Remain exceptionally alert to any maintenance issues that might not have been addressed, specifically those that could affect safe conduct of your proposed flight(s) – and remember that serious problems can be encountered in flights just after conclusion of any maintenance.
  1. Hangar or Ramp – Equipment exposed to the elements are at greater risk for weather damage, abuse of engineered limits (excessive torque of nose gear when attached to towbar); planes in communal hangars are at risk of “hangar rash” that could affect flight surfaces.
  1. Towered vs. Non-towered Airports – Ongoing maintenance services (addressing “squawks”) might have been performed at larger facilities and deferred at others.
  1. Flying with a Pilot Friend – Another set of trained eyes and ears can be wonderful, but be careful to specifically confirm that all pre-flight checks (such as fuel in tanks) have been performed and none are overlooked, especially with any “rush” to get into the air.
  1. Proposed Flight – Local flights tend to be easier to conduct safely and well … but even casual shorter flights to frequent destinations can present challenges (like arriving unexpectedly at an “X’d” runway). For every flight, make mental preparations for changes in expected weather and terrain, possible “big sky” congestion (especially at airports, such as those with flight schools), and the “remote” prospect of equipment and electrical failures.  One final thought:  depending on circumstances, your plane can readily land at an intended (or alternate) airfield where it might have specific challenges to departing.
 

Exterior Inspection

  1. General Condition
  • Check for visible damage, wear, or loose components.
  • Ensure no unauthorized modifications or unusual conditions.
 
  1. Fuselage, Wings, and Empennage
  • Inspect for dents, cracks, or corrosion, which can reveal as irregularities in paint surface.
  • Ensure rivets, fasteners, and any special attachments are secure.
  • Check control surfaces (ailerons, flaps, rudder, elevator, trim tab) for freedom of movement and for secure attachments and hinge pins.
 
  1. Landing Gear
  • Examine tires for proper inflation, wear, and damage – easy to inspect tread when rolling plane out of hangar or other repositioning.
  • Inspect struts for leaks or proper extension.
  • Confirm brakes are functional and fluid levels are adequate.
 
  1. Engine and Propeller
  • Inspect the propeller for nicks, cracks, or damage – ask mechanic if questions!
  • Check for oil leaks (inner surface of bottom cowling) or excessive grime or streaks.
  • Verify engine oil level and quality.
  • Confirm fuel lines, hoses, and connections are secure.
 
  1. Fuel System
  • Verify fuel quantity in the tanks matches the flight plan – oversee any refueling and specifically point at and say aloud the fuel type labeled on the fuel truck tank.
  • Drain fuel sumps to check for water, debris, or contaminants.
  • Ensure proper fuel type is used (verify color and smell).
 
  1. Lights and Pitot-Static System
  • Test all external lights (landing, navigation, strobes).
  • Inspect the pitot tube and static ports for blockages or damage.
 
  1. Antennas and Windows
  • Ensure antennas are secure and undamaged.
  • Clean and inspect windshield and windows for clarity and cracks – use compatible cleaning fluid, gentle vertical strokes not horizontal or circular.
 

Interior Inspection

  1. Cockpit Instruments and Controls
  • Verify all instruments are operational and readable – must be tagged INOP if not functional!
  • Confirm any portable instruments are present and positioned:  ADS-B, others.
  • Confirm correct charging cables are present for any portable electrical items.
  • Ensure switches, circuit breakers, and controls are in correct positions.
  • Test pilot and copilot flight controls for smooth and full-range movement, confirm correct deflections of flight surfaces.
 
  1. Avionics and Communication
  • Power on radios and navigation systems; confirm functionality.
  • Test intercom and headset connections, especially PTT push-to-talk switch.
  • Confirm that electronic instruments installed are functional and that you are comfortable in their specific operation.
  • Confirm that any autopilot installed has an easily-accessible OFF switch.
 
  1. Emergency Equipment
  • Confirm fire extinguisher is properly charged and accessible.
  • Verify the presence and condition of survival gear (if applicable).
 
  1. Seat Belts and Doors
  • Check seat belts for wear and functionality, adjust if needed for best fit.
  • Ensure doors and latches operate correctly.
 
  1. Documentation
  • Verify airworthiness certificate, registration, and operating handbook are onboard.
  • Ensure weight and balance data is current for each flight.
 

Final Walkaround

  • Ensure tie-downs, wheel chocks, control locks, and towbar are removed.
  • Step back for a time-out to conduct a final visual sweep for obstructions, loose items, or overlooked issues, especially any “Remove Before Flight” banners and any items on top of wings.
 

Performing a detailed inspection helps identify potential problems early, reducing risks and ensuring a safe flight.

Additional Equipment to Load as Appropriate

  • Off-Airport Landing Equipment as appropriate for terrain.
  • Emergency Survival Equipment (and Clothing) appropriate for terrain and weather.
  • Routine Plane Materials – simple tools, supplies, perhaps parts.

WHO TRUST THIS CHIEF PILOT ?

You’ll likely find this boring … but I include these details only to reassure you that recommendations based on my extensive background, related experience, and specialized judgment are worthy of your attention.

Why should you trust this Pilot-in-Command?

All said and done, I do have very definite ideas about solving pilot problems …

I didn’t just read about neat ideas, I was chief medical officer for Texas International Airlines before they bought Continental, which ultimately became United Airlines.

I didn’t just read about neat ideas, I was a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner for the FAA for 12 years – I never had an application for a waiver denied – I resigned to do more research on these advanced solutions and hacks I’m sharing with you today.

I didn’t just read about neat ideas, I’ve flown 1400 hours all around the county in my antique Ercoupes.

I didn’t just read about neat ideas, I was corporate medical consultant for 53 oil and heavy industry manufacturers in north Houston, for physicals, injuries, and return-to-work rehabilitation.

How’s this:  my ideas are better than just general practice prescribing …

I didn’t just read about innovative approaches, after almost 4 dozen years of clinical practice I’ve been recognized as a Marquis Who’s Who Top Doctor in Advanced Medicine.

I didn’t just follow other’s footsteps in a well-beaten trail – in my pioneering career of developing better ways, I am listed in over five dozen volumes of Who’sWho and I received the Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award.

I’ve been more than just a dues-paying member – my professional colleagues have bestowed upon me the distinction of Fellow of the American College for Advancement in Medicine … and also the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award of International College of Integrative Medicine … and as more than just an aside, Chairman of the Board of the National Health Federation.

I didn’t just dream up good ideas, I’ve produced over five dozen CDs and DVDs on various topics in integrative medicine (www.healthCHOICESnow.com) and I lectured at airshows for years on how to regain and maintain your medical.

I don’t just “talk” about my innovative practices, I’ve written hundreds of brochures, dozens of articles, and several books – and unlike what we’ve become used to, I have never needed to change a word – among them are …

The Yeast Syndrome – Bantam Books continuing bestseller (since 1986)

Sick and Tired – 2017 update to The Yeast Syndrome Do What You Want To Do – treating all joint pains without surgery

Chapters in bestselling books including with these authors …

Jack Canfield famous for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series,

Internationally acclaimed author/speaker Brian Tracy,

and None other than the iconic media host Larry King.

Ascending to the Flight Levels:  paramount recognition as the featured cover article in the preeminent journal, the Townsend Letter:  “Still Missing Diagnosis of the Yeast Syndrome?”

Do I really  have “new ideas” on many topics …

I didn’t just read about them, I’ve discovered, developed, and shared better solutions with doctors around the world – my original research on so-called “sleep apnea” since 1993 has solved many problems without CPAP.

I didn’t just hear continuing medical education lectures, I have served as program chairman or professor-in-chief for over 2 dozen professional programs and I have given dozens of invited lectures to doctors and patients around the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Taiwan.

I didn’t just have tunnel vision to rely only on my earlier training, I was awarded a Diplomate in Preventive Medicine for master’s level studies in nutritional medicine (Medical Research Institute, Florida Institute of Technology).

I didn’t just limit my intensive studies to a small pie-slice of human ailments, I served not only as president of the International College of Integrative Medicine but also as president of the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine and …

I have gained internationally-recognized credentials in detoxification treatments (chelation therapy) to remove toxic heavy metals to help reverse degenerative diseases of heart/brain/other organs as well as in non-surgical treatments for sports/accidents/other injuries and all joint/neck/back pains.

I didn’t just read about Metabolic Syndrome/”Pre-diabetes” – the discoverer was a friend of mine since 1968 at Stanford. I didn’t just join in beating the drums for “INFLAMMATION,” I was one of the first to write about its critical role in causing all diseases – in 1993!

Others claim “the same” expertise in a number of areas – really?

As a National Merit and California State Scholar, I studied molecular biology at Stanford, graduating with a bachelor’s in biological sciences … and considerable experience in creative writing as well. During my pre-med studies, I assisted with research into making more effective vaccines and undertook graduate courses in immunology. Along the way, I trained as a medical laboratory technologist, receiving the highest certifications (A.S.C.P. and California State), and later I managed quality control for a Kaiser Hospital laboratory.

Half-a-dozen of my professors were Nobel Prize winners – another two dozen were members of the National Academy of Sciences – and I learned advanced literature search strategies at the National Library of Medicine, from the creator of PubMed search. My radiology training was under Harold G. Jacobsen, M. D., in the Bronx – one of the early giants in radiology.

While studying at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, I produced a series of 12 color videotapes on congenital heart disease; my training in blood disorders and cancer was at the National Institutes of Health. Post-graduate studies in general surgery (Mt. Zion Hospital and Medical Center, San Francisco) and urological surgery (kidneys and bladder at The University of Texas, Texas Medical Center, including the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center) gave me surgical perspectives rarely seen in general medical practice.

To further hone my skills in research techniques, I served for 10 years on an FDA-authorized Institutional Review Board, approving applications for clinical studies … or not!

I didn’t just read about this distressing condition needlessly grounding pilots, I was one of the first to popularize understanding of “Auto-Brewery Syndrome” – “drunk without drinking” because gut microbes make alcohol then absorbed into your bloodstream – a totally controllable infection described in my 1986 book, The Yeast Syndrome!

I don’t just “boast a good line,” my career-long successes speak for themselves across so many usual and unusual conditions that steal your health, worsen your suffering, and finally take your life – no matter who claims “advanced” or whatever, there’s no substitute for experience and proven accomplishment.

I seem rather passionate about flying as well as medicine …

First of all, I found my medical training to be sadly lacking –  “fighting disease” rather than “restoring better health.”  So – I’ve spent a lifetime learning ways of promoting health, realizing that your body functions very much like an airplane, it does just exactly what it is supposed to do in the situation.

Second, I didn’t just watch planes flying overhead, I felt them in my bones:  my Dad was a B-36 command pilot, and the Air Force base often vibrated with engine run-ups for hours before launch.

Third, reading Wolfgang Langewiesche’s outstanding classic, Stick and Rudder, during my ground school studies, I was entranced by his description of the “safety airplane” – that was the non-spinnable Ercoupe just being marketed in 1940.  (Yes, the very first time I saw one, I bought it … on credit!)

Finally, I have enjoyed “basic flying” in my Ercoupes so much since 1977, I made it my mission to keep as many pilots flying safely as possible.  Serving as an Aviation Medical Examiner (Senior for 12 years), I never had an application for a SODA/”waiver” ever rejected, thanks to patient recoveries with my innovative integrative “medical”/health approaches that I now share with you!

Like what you see? – Want me to become your doctor?

Certainly, if you’re interested in a future of optimal health regardless of your current situation – you can visit in person near Houston or you can schedule a teleconsultation to start (and even continue) management.  Just

DIAL 1-800-FIX-PAIN

(1-800-349-7246) to start your planning with one of our Treatment Consultants! 

Share this with your friends … so they too are CLEAREDFORTAKEOFF (dot)(info)!

And there you have it – “Over to departure, g’day!”

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10 – WHATNOT

Document Index

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Select whichever ones interest you: 

The most inspiring aviation poem ever written – details you never knew but will forever relish

Stuff for hours of hangar flying discussions, I’ll be adding materials to address these in coming months and years – Please feel free to send me your suggestions and hacks!

Back to Page 10 – Sun-split Clouds 

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