PREPARING FOR A FLYING LESSON (CHECKLIST) 1

Pre-flight

Langley Flying School electronic flight training records for weight and balance control. Langley Flying School.

  1. Conduct a live weather briefing with FSS over the telephone (see discussions regarding a FSS briefing).
  2. Examine the Journey Log for your aircraft with specific concern to assessing any defective items associated with the aircraft.
  3. Examine the Aircraft Status Display2to ensure the aircraft is “operational” and that time has not expired prior to the next scheduled event for your aircraft (e.g., a 50-hour or 100-hour inspection).  Check to ensure that the dates associated with any of the posted “out-of-phase” items (such as fire extinguisher, survival kit, or ELT servicing. or maintenance).
  4. Conduct a thorough pre-flight inspection (walk-around) of your aircraft.
  5. Calculate the planned takeoff weight and balance for your aircraft.
  6. Fill-out and complete the electronic Flight Training Operations Log, including notation of the oil, fuel, estimated fuel time, takeoff Centre of Gravity and Weight, Hobbs, anticipated departure time and estimated length of the flight; be sure to include the planned exercises.  Having completed the computer flight training data, manually complete the information required on the Flight Operations Board.
  7. Ensure that the Journey Log is placed on-board the aircraft.3
  8. Meet with your Instructor for a pre-flight briefing.

Preflight inspection of fuel. Langley Flying School.

Post-Flight

  1. Ensure the aircraft is secured.
  2. Complete the Post-flight items on the Flight Training Operations Log, including time up, time down, and shutdown Hobbs.
  3. Complete the Journey Log.
  4. Complete the entry in your Pilot Logbook.
  5. Ensure the accounting procedures associated with your flight are completed.
  6. Meet with your Instructor for a post-flight debriefing.
  7. Obtain instruction concerning the planned exercises for the next flight, including reading and study assignments.

Further Readings:

Transport Canada's The Importance of Proper Weight and Balance

Transport Canada's Out of Fuel!

1 These checklists are the results of comments made by one of our graduates, Tom Larkin, who thought it would be useful to have a list of tasks required to be completed before and after a training flight—the idea being that for students who are not familiar with the process, this can all seem quite confusing.  We quite agree with Tom.

 

2 See P. 55, regarding airworthiness, and P. 49, regarding aircraft defects.

 

3 The aircraft documents—Certificate of Registration, Certificate of Airworthiness, and Equipment List (Weight and Balance)—are kept at the front of the Pilot Operating Handbook of each of the School’s Cherokees.  These documents must be on board the aircraft during every flight; the Journey Log Book for each aircraft, however, need only be on board the aircraft when a landing is planned at an airport other than the airport of departure—so technically, the Journey Log Book does not have to be on board training flights that satisfy this requirement.  Don’t get confused, though, as the Pilot Operating Handbook must always be on board and available to the pilot.