By Lisa Turner, EAA Lifetime 509911
This piece originally ran in Lisa’s Airworthy column in the December 2023 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.
It’s no secret that we’re all getting older by the minute. So are our airplanes. But, like having children in the house, it’s hard to tell that anything has changed from one day to the next.
I’m not going to tell you what we should be doing with ourselves through the inexorable march of time, but I will make some suggestions for your vintage aircraft. These tips apply to any aircraft that has lots of chronological time and/or flight hours, including homebuilts that may have surprisingly high flying time (a tribute to how wonderful they are).
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that our antique aircraft are lasting longer than we are. Handed down through family members, these airplanes are being restored and flown through many generations. When we get one of these in our shop to restore, we are awed by the love and passion these airplanes continue to generate.
The other wonderful fact about these airplanes is that they are well engineered and continue to fly despite many hours of wear and tear. When a flying basket case arrives and we disassemble it, we are often shocked at the corrosion and wood damage that has gone sight unseen for decades. The airplane still flies. Not sure whether this is good or bad, but it’s certainly a tribute to the airplane’s durability and purposeful engineering.
While we know we may get away with a thing or two because of this durability, there are things we can do to improve our chances of not having a failure, particularly in flight, with our old friends.
Psychology tells us that the more we look at something, the less we see. Do you remember the first time your instructor led you around the airplane, showing you what to check? Did you feel overwhelmed? I did. I just did not know what I was looking at.
Over time, our acuity improves, especially with the training around systems and our growing understanding of how everything works together.
There are two documents you should not be without, no matter the age of your aircraft. They are the FAA Advisory Circular 43.13-1B – Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices – Aircraft Inspection and Repair and the FAA’s Best Practices Guide for Maintaining Aging General Aviation Airplanes.
Here are inspection tips for your next preflight:
Corrosion is the aging airplane killer. On your inspections, be tuned for corrosive damage. While a little surface rust on the exhaust stack is normal, a crusted over piece of hardware is not. Take a long-bladed screwdriver and tap places where you’re not sure. Listen carefully to the sound. Over time, you’ll be able to hear problems as well as see them.
Cables. In AC 43.13, Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices of Aircraft Inspection and Repair, Section 8, inspection methods suggest paying particular attention to cables and fittings. While these areas are covered on annual and 100-hour inspections, it’s a good idea to look at these every few preflights when you can visually identify rust and fraying early.
Operating environment. If you keep your airplane outside, and/or operate the airplane near the ocean, a stepped-up inspection schedule is a good idea. Metal wing spars, structures, and assemblies — including cables, turnbuckles, and fittings — should have a higher frequency inspection schedule.
Fabric. Accelerated wear always occurs in the areas that are hard for us to see. For that reason, get your step stool out and check the area on top of the airplane, just above and behind the windshield. This is a slipstream area that may show cracking or blistering before other areas.
Check the belly of the airplane. Since it’s a pain to do this, get out your mechanic’s creeper and go under there to closely inspect any hardware or components as well as the condition of the fabric, metal, or composite. While you’re there, check the wing undersides on low-wing airplanes.
Springs and chains. Look for wear at the spring or chain attachment plates and the cable or arm. More on this later.
Time-limited and time-affected parts. Make a list of these — oil and fuel hoses, rubber parts, filters, etc. Follow what your manufacturer says on replacement schedules.
Pitot and static ports. Insects love these spaces. Make sure they are clear every time you fly.
Fuel vents. A clogged fuel vent will create a vacuum in the tank, preventing free flow to the engine. Does your airplane have fuel bladders? Carefully follow manufacturer recommendations for inspection. They can fold and trap contaminants, and show erroneous readings on the fuel gauge.
Propellers and hubs. We know to check these for damage, but sometimes I see pilots give the prop a cursory inspection. Make sure you feel all along the face of the prop, including the areas you can’t see without getting behind it. Feel all the way to the tip. Don’t move the prop during this inspection; assume it’s ready to rotate and start. A mirror is handy here.
Hidden areas. Even if you fly regularly, odd and alien things can take up residence in areas you cannot see. Every so often, stop and listen as you pull the airplane out or untie it. From loose hardware to small animals, you may find surprises. I have seen mice make quick work of fabric lacing, finding it all balled up in the corner in a nest. Of course, this happens to brand new airplanes, too. Use a small suction cup to check fabric attachment if you think something’s up.
Interior. Check seat belts for smooth operation and fraying. Since many older aircraft came with lap belts only, the aftermarket addition of any shoulder harnesses should be examined carefully for security and to ensure the installation hardware remains tight. When you get in and look around the cockpit, include a look at instrumentation. Are markings still fully legible and correct? These may wear off over time without us noticing it.
ADs and Service Bulletins. It goes without saying that ADs and service bulletins are major clues to potential problems for high-time aircraft. While these are checked and taken care of at annual or 100-hour inspections (we hope), some of them may require you to check a component or issue in between inspections. The paperwork for your aircraft should be organized and stored in a safe place, and reviewed at least annually when you make improvements to your checklists.
Use type clubs. Many vintage aircraft manufacturers are no longer in business. Use the power of the type clubs for your airplane. You can usually find manuals, checklists, and component resources for your specific aircraft. The clubs also offer you the ability to ask for advice from the resident experts.
Keep it clean. This is my favorite preflight tip. We know that cleaning is essential on the annual or condition inspection because it allows us to identify leaks and see anomalies. Do the cleaning yourself. We see more detail when we go over every inch of a surface by hand; you’ve probably noticed this when you clean your car or truck. “Where did this come from?” you find yourself saying, as you look at a ding you never saw before.
General wear. This is the situation we started with — over time, it’s hard to find out what has changed. On one inspection, we found a tailwheel steering arm with so much wear it was about to break out of the capture area. Both sides were on the verge of failure. This would have presented an interesting surprise upon landing.
A word about technique. We’re used to doing preflights the same way we’ve always done them. This habit can bring unintentional complacency with it. To change things up a bit, try recording your checklist into your phone (voice memo) and playing it back. As you go along, talk back to yourself. Your ramp friends may hear this and think you’ve lost it, but the technique really works well.
Another good practice is to ask other pilots who fly the same aircraft to follow you around on a preflight. They will certainly see something that they can use in their technique, and you will certainly find something you might have missed on yours.
Post-flights. You already know I am an advocate for post-flight inspections. Not the open-up-all covers type of inspection, but a general listen and look evaluation after your flight. Our tendency is to get the airplane back onto the tiedowns or into the hangar because we’re thinking ahead to the next activity. But a few minutes of quiet and thoughtful evaluation may head off growing problems.
Making your preflight thorough through good habits will help you avoid unnecessary failures and surprises resulting from age and hours. It’s also a fact that airplanes that are flown and inspected regularly produce fewer problems than airplanes that sit in the corner.
Lisa Turner, EAA Lifetime 509911, is a manufacturing engineer, A&P mechanic, EAA technical counselor and flight advisor, and former designated airworthiness representative. She built and flew a Pulsar XP and Kolb Mark III, and is researching her next homebuilt project. Lisa’s third book, Dream Take Flight, details her Pulsar flying adventures and life lessons. Write Lisa at Lisa@DreamTakeFlight.com and learn more at DreamTakeFlight.com.