Under The Cowling
This engine-driven ignition source keeps the spark plugs firing even if the battery and alternator fail.
What is a magneto?
Pilots use this list to report aircraft problems or suspected problems to maintenance.
What is a squawk sheet?
This person is ultimately responsible for determining whether the airplane is in condition for safe flight.
Who is the pilot in command?
This coded aviation report tells you the current observed weather at an airport.
What is a METAR?
Professional pilots use this written tool instead of trusting every critical step to memory.
What is a checklist?
Most GA piston-engine cylinders have two of these for improved combustion and ignition redundancy.
What are spark plugs?
The squawk “DG occasionally sticks” means this instrument sometimes freezes, lags or fails to turn smoothly.
What is the directional gyro or heading indicator?
For most GA aircraft, an annual inspection must have been completed within this period.
What is the preceding 12 calendar months?
This aviation forecast predicts weather conditions expected at and near an airport.
What is a TAF?
Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue and Emotion form this personal-readiness checklist.
What is IMSAFE?
Activating this in a carbureted airplane normally causes a small RPM drop because warmer, less-dense air enters the engine.
What is carburetor heat?
Blue staining around a fuel drain, fuel line or wing seam usually indicates this problem.
What is an avgas fuel leak?
When an aircraft is provided for flight instruction for hire or used to carry passengers for hire, this additional inspection may be required.
What is a 100-hour inspection?
Hot temperatures, high elevation and high humidity contribute to this condition, which reduces aircraft performance.
What is high density altitude?
Name the five hazardous attitudes recognized in aviation decision-making.
What are anti-authority, impulsivity, invulnerability, macho and resignation?
In a traditionally equipped airplane, failure of this system may take out both the attitude indicator and directional gyro.
What is the vacuum system or vacuum pump?
“COM 1 has static while transmitting above 2,000 RPM” is more helpful than “radio bad” because it includes these two important details.
What are the specific symptom and the conditions under which it occurs?
Airworthiness certificate, Registration, Operating limitations and Weight-and-balance information form this familiar acronym.
What is AROW?
This engine hazard can occur in a carbureted airplane even when the outside temperature is above freezing.
What is carburetor icing?
Schedule pressure, impatient passengers and the desire to get home are examples of this PAVE risk category.
What are external pressures?
This wire grounds a magneto when the ignition is OFF. If it breaks, you may have a “hot mag.”
What is a P-lead?
This maintenance phrase means the technician was unable to reproduce the problem reported by the pilot.
What is “could not duplicate,” “CND” or “no fault found”?
True or false: If broken equipment has an “INOP” sticker, the airplane is automatically legal to fly.
What is false? It must first be determined that the equipment is not required, the aircraft remains airworthy and safe, and all required deactivation, removal, placarding and documentation procedures are followed
Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment and External pressures are the four parts of this risk-assessment checklist.
What is PAVE?
Passengers are waiting, but you discover a fresh fuel stain and smell avgas during preflight. This is the professional response.
What is stop the departure, report the squawk and have the aircraft evaluated before flying?