Yak 18T - Section 4 - Pre-flight Inspection; 4.1 Preliminary Pre-Flight Actions

Yak 18T Flight Operations Manual
Page 17 of 82
Disclaimer: This manual is to be used as a reference only, it is based on translated Yak 18T Flight Operations
Manuals and has not been approved by the Yakovlev Design Bureau or any other authority.
Section 4 - Pre-flight Inspection
A quick review of your logbook will make it obvious how long ago it was that you flew in a
Yak 18T. Whether you are the sole owner or a shareholder, you should always treat the
aircraft with critical and suspect eyes. Whether you were the last to fly just yesterday or not,
always perform an unrushed formal pre-flight inspection. The number of AAIB reports
indicating inadequate pre-flights is
unnecessary and avoidable . It takes 15-30minutes to do a
good pre-flight; the best advice is to know what to look for and CHECK PROPERLY.
The following suggested pre-flight inspection is targeted at the pilot who is travelling alone –
hence the structure of the checks and the engine starting procedures. The process of
conducting the pre-flight inspection for those with willing and able assistance will no doubt be
improved. In any case, it is recommended that you take full responsibility for all of the
checks, allocating only insignificant tasks to others until you are convinced of their
competence.
4.1. Preliminary Pre-Flight Actions
The following steps should be carried out prior to beginning the inspection, make sure that all
covers and protective caps i.e. pitot cover, propeller cover, oil cooler stop, cockpit cover,
aileron and rudder gust tabs are removed.
1. at dusty aerodromes the parking area of the aircraft must be HOSED
2. REMOVE any wing and tail tie-downs
3. in winter make sure that the aircraft is CLEANED from snow, ice and frost
4. if parked on grass, REMOVE any mud and grass from the undercarriage –
also, check for unwanted items in the undercarriage recesses
5. REMOVE any items (typically grass and hay) located in the oil-cooling unit at
the front of the starboard wing near the cowling
6. LEAVE the chocks under the main wheels and ensure that fire extinguishing
aids are close to the aircraft in the event of a fire
7. CHECK that there are no PEOPLE, SUBJECTS or VEHICLES NEARBY
capable of obstructing the propeller
Ensure that all precautions are taken to prevent against spontaneous folding of the
undercarriage, the engine occasional start, cut-in of individual electric units and extension of
the split flap. For this purpose check the following –
8. SWITCH the BATTERY-GROUND SUPPLY to the OFF position
9. ENSURE that all switches and cut-outs on the panel are switched OFF
10. CHECK that the magneto switch is SET to 0 position OFF
11. CHECK that the undercarriage lever is in the DOWN position and locked
with a detent. If no detent is available, advise all assistants and passengers
of the importance not to touch this lever
12. ENSURE that the flap lever is in the NEUTRAL position
13. in winter time, check that the gills are CLOSED (remember to check visually
that the gills are actually closed when you think they are)
14. ENSURE that the oil cooler is CLOSED (remember to check visually that the
oil cooler shutter is closed when you think it is)
15.
CHECK that the carburettor heat is OFF
While in the cockpit, it is advisable to do a quick instrument check of the fuel contents –
16. SWITCH the BATTERY-GROUND SUPPLY to the ON position