A question about use of lights etc.

Chuck Ellsworth · Post by **Chuck Ellsworth** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 4:32 pm

. and Doc, I agree with 99% of your posts but what you have written in this thread just smacks a little too much of bravado.

flyinphil. believe me it is not meant to be that way.

I may not be much in the grand scheme of things, but I do take aviation safety as my top priority.

And fortunately I am privelaged to earn a living helping others stay safe working as an advisor all over the world and doing flying training specifically to ensure safety.

The internet is a very impersonal place and we can easily take the wrong impression from what others write.

Chuck Ellsworth · Post by **Chuck Ellsworth** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 4:41 pm

Even the big jets sometimes get it wrong....even with check lists...

From a British news paper:

The application of the parking brake was not detected prior to touchdown. All four main landing gear tyres deflated on landing."

The aircraft manufacturer said there had been five similar events worldwide and the operator said it had now updated its pre-landing checks.

It was an Airbus.

flyinphil · Post by **flyinphil** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 5:19 pm

Yes ., we all make mistakes and you and I both strive to minimize their effects.
We have the same goal, just differing methods.

Chuck Ellsworth · Post by **Chuck Ellsworth** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 5:31 pm

We have the same goal, just differing methods

Why are we different, I teach and use SOP's.

x-wind · Post by **x-wind** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:34 pm

Would someone answer my question? .

rsandor · Post by **rsandor** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:18 am

Quick question. Some guys/gals do the alternator off to check the ammeter, to me thats seems stupid. Look at the ammeter before you crank it over and it should show a discharge....

Anyway does anyone know if this alternator check hurts anything?

The ammeter check is not just to check the ammeter. It's also a check to ensure that the alternator on/off switch actually works, and that you can shut it off if you need to. Obviously the engine needs to be running before you can test this.

Shutting the alternator on/off while the engine is running does not harm anything, unless you leave it off for too long and the battery drains.

rsandor · Post by **rsandor** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:29 am

In regards to SOP's and Checklists:

I think it's important that if you are flying a larger, more complicated aircraft and have other people's lives in your hands, you should be sticking to SOP's and checklists as much as you possibly can, regardless of how much experience you have.

The KEY thing is to understand WHY you are doing every step of the checklist or SOP. If you are doing stuff based on SOP and you don't know why it's there, you just do it anyways, to me, that's BAD. You should know why you're doing it. If you don't know, find out.

When you know the entire reasoning behind an SOP or checklist item, only then can you make an informed decision as to whether or not it is required in any given situation.

I think that makes you a better pilot, and I'm pretty sure we all want to be better pilots.