PREFLIGHT CHECK
The purpose of the preflight inspection is to determine if the aircraft is in good condition to fly. Every preflight inspection should be performed prior to every flight, should be performed the same way every time and should not be interrupted until finished. To ensure a complete preflight, be sure to finish where you started.
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Caution
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Allow yourself plenty of time to thoroughly check each, without feeling pressured or rushed. Here are some specific items to include in your preflight:
The first step in planning for a flight is to be sure you are ready, physically and emotionally. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Remember IMSAFE:
Illness
Medication
Stress
Alcohol
Fatigue
Emotion
Know your personal limitations. Every pilot is different, and your own minimums may even change from day to day. The FAA has published a personal minimums checklist, which is available online at www.faa.gov/avr/news/checklst.pdf.
Currency and proficiency. Are you safe and legal for this flight?
Weather: Once you have prepared yourself for the flight, it’s important to check the weather along your planned route. According to FAR 91.103, a weather briefing is required for all IFR flights and any flight not in the vicinity of an airport. Obtaining a weather
briefing is a good idea for all flights. The following are some weather resources to use during the planning:
Flight Service Stations (FSS) may be contacted for weather information, notams, and pireps.
Online services such as AOPA (www.aopa.org/members/wx/), DUATS (www.duats.com), National Weather Service (NWS) (www.nws.noaa.gov/), and Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS)
(http://adds.awc-kc.noaa.gov/).
AWOS, ASOS, or ATIS will provide you with the current local weather at your departure airport.