Welcome to the Safety Section of the Flying Clubs Newsletter, Club Connector!
Each month we provide resources for flying club safety officers so that they can keep their clubs informed and safe. We also include links to the FAASTeam Topic of the Month PowerPoint slides providing talking points for your next safety brief. Along with the slides, we often provide links to relevant articles, videos, and other media that you may also find helpful. To learn more about this section, be sure to check out Episode 15 and 15b of Flying Clubs Radio!
If you are interested in using the FAASTeam WINGS program with your flying club, feel free to contact Steve, who is a Lead Representative and WINGSPro, and uses the program in his club.
More on WINGS for Clubs can be found here in Flying Clubs Radio Episode 8 and the May 2020 Question of the Month.
Before we get to this month’s Topic of the Month, let’s do a quick reminder of just some of the resources available to all pilots:
- The FAASTeam website is the portal to a vast array of courses, videos, links, and much more.Remember that WINGS not only encompasses “knowledge” activities, but also flight activities.Use the various search options to narrow done, to, say flight activities for a basic phase of WINGS and you’ll be able to find a syllabus and often a worksheet for each flight activity.
- AOPA’s own Air Safety Institute, which by the way, is funded by the AOPA Foundation just like the You Can Fly program, is packed with amazing content, including exceptional videos, podcasts, accident analysis, online courses, recorded webinars and more.Completing these activities may also earn WINGS credits. Of particular interest to flying club safety officers is the recently updated Safety to Go section.Here, you can download a selection of topics, each coming with PowerPoint slides and speaker’s notes!
Alright then, let’s get on with this month’s safety topic!
September Topic of the Month: Preflight After Maintenance
Background:
The General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have determined that a significant number of general aviation fatalities could be avoided if pilots were to conduct more thorough preflight inspections of aircraft that have just been returned to service. In-flight emergencies have been the direct result of maintenance personnel who have serviced or installed systems incorrectly.
Teaching Points:
- Learn all you can about the maintenance that was performed.
- Don’t assume the part(s) replaced are the only parts removed.
- Pay attention to trim positions. Check for unimpeded flight control surface deflections. Make sure they go in the proper direction!
- Make sure all inspection panels are secure and their fasteners are tight.
- Check fuel tank for water, sediment, and proper fuel grade.
- After an oil change, always check the engine oil level to ensure it has the proper amount of oil.
- Always check your logbook and paperwork prior to flight to ensure the correct records have been entered.
- If you see a warning tag / sign on the aircraft, or on the sign-out or status board, DO NOT FLY THE AIRCRAFT! Check with the maintenance facility prior to taking the aircraft.
- Participate in, or observe your mechanic perform, an annual or 100 hour inspection.
References:
September Topic of the Month Slides
