We have been kicking around best practices for flying around the pattern safely. In the thread, there have been so many great nuggets shared...very helpful.
How about for the start of 2024, share a thought about things you should or should not do to stay safe while flying.
1) Never interrupt someone who is conducting a preflight inspection.
I made this mistake while purchasing my Cessna 140A after selling my RV. I was reviewing the aircraft logs and had a question about an entry. The owner was conducting the preflight. He was checking the oil when my question was asked. Due to the interruption, he failed to put the dipstick back in. We went flying and I happened to notice a liquid where it should not have been. We put down on a little grass strip only to find the side of the plane covered in oil. I had never seen so much of a mess! We called his A&P for help...he arrived with a big grin on his face and the missing dipstick! It was found on the taxiway as he taxied out to assist us. We had only lost about a quart of oil, so no harm was done other than a mess that would take several washings to make go away.
How about for the start of 2024, share a thought about things you should or should not do to stay safe while flying.
1) Never interrupt someone who is conducting a preflight inspection.
I made this mistake while purchasing my Cessna 140A after selling my RV. I was reviewing the aircraft logs and had a question about an entry. The owner was conducting the preflight. He was checking the oil when my question was asked. Due to the interruption, he failed to put the dipstick back in. We went flying and I happened to notice a liquid where it should not have been. We put down on a little grass strip only to find the side of the plane covered in oil. I had never seen so much of a mess! We called his A&P for help...he arrived with a big grin on his face and the missing dipstick! It was found on the taxiway as he taxied out to assist us. We had only lost about a quart of oil, so no harm was done other than a mess that would take several washings to make go away.