Jeff M. Hopper
SOC-14 1K
I am half-asleep and dreamed of a FOD walkdown of a launch tube. What other safety precautions would there be involving small craft on a starship?
Common Starship & Small Craft Evolutions
- Thread starter Jeff M. Hopper
- Start date
Pressure checks, umbilical disconnect verification, rescue ball counts, control system checkouts.
FOD? Foreign object debris? Don't you have launch tube roombas to take care of that sort of thing?
Lauch all Able Spacer! 
Still, interesting dream that. Nice to see that the meme translates to the future. Not sure if that was a cool dream or well, sort of boring. It is the science fiction version of going to work.
Carlobrand, you have so nailed it!FOD? Foreign object debris? Don't you have launch tube roombas to take care of that sort of thing?
Still, interesting dream that. Nice to see that the meme translates to the future. Not sure if that was a cool dream or well, sort of boring. It is the science fiction version of going to work.
Usually a pre-flight can be fairly lengthy, and often ignored, or shortened by pilots in a hurry....or just plain lazy...
But way back when I was getting my certification( 1980s) you got the preflight routine drilled into yer head... you would not want to know how often "Failed to perform Preflight " ( or some version of the statement) shows up in n accident report.
This is a snip of the preflight for a cessna 152, it's a fairly simple pre-flight compared to what a preflight on a passenger jet, or small craft in Traveller would look like
i doubt it would be as complex as the pre-flight on a nasa launch which might take days to complete....but it would probably follow the same rough procedures as a modern day aircraft.
CABIN
1. Check Discrepancies and Inspections
2. Required Papers in Airplane (AROW)
2. Enter HOBBS Reading on TACH Sheet
3. Control Wheel Lock . . . . . REMOVE
4. Ignition Switch . . . . . . . . . OFF
5. Master Switch . . . . . . . . . . ON
6. Fuel Gauges . . . . . . . . . . . QUANTITY
7. Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30°
8. Master Switch . . . . . . . . . . OFF
9. Fuel Shutoff Valve . . . . . . ON
2) FUSELAGE AND EMPENNAGE
1. Fuel Drain . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN
2. Fuselage/Empennage . . . . CHECK CONDITION
3. Rudder Gust Lock . . . . . . . REMOVE
4. Tail Tie-down . . . . . . . . . . DISCONNECT
5. Control Surfaces . . . . . . . . CHECK Attachment and Movement
6. Empennage/Fuselage. . . . CHECK CONDITION
3) RIGHT WING TRAILING EDGE
1. Flap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECK Attachment and Movement
2. Aileron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECK Attachment, Movement, and Counterweights
4) RIGHT WING
1. Wing Tie Down . . . . . . . . .DISCONNECT
2. Undercarriage/Tire . . . . . . CHECK Condition, Inflation, and Brakes
3. Fuel Drain . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN
4. Fuel Quantity . . . . . . . . . . DIP/MEASURE
5. Fuel Filler Cap . . . . . . . . . SECURE (Check Vent)
6. Wing Surface . . . . . . . . . . CHECK CONDITION
7. Windshield………………..CLEAN
5) NOSE
1. Engine Oil Level . . . . . . . . 4-6 QUARTS
2. Fuel Sump . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN
3. Prop/Spinner . . . . . . . . . . . CONDITION
4. Alternator Belt . . . . . . . . . TIGHT
5. Oil Cooler . . . . . . . . . . . . . UNOBSTRUCTED
6. Landing Light……………............CLEAN
7. Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UNOBSTRUCTED
8. Wheel Strut/Tire . . . . . . . . CHECK Condition and Inflation
9. Static Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . UNRESTRICTED
6) LEFT WING
1. Fuel Quantity . . . . . . . . . . DIP/MEASURE
2. Fuel Filler Cap . . . . . . . . . SECURE (Check Vent)
3. Pitot Tube . . . . . . . . . . . . . UNRESTRICTED/CLEAR
4. Fuel Tank Vent . . . . . . . . . CLEAR
5. Wing Tie Down . . . . . . . . DISCONNECT
6. Stall Warning . . . . . . . . . . OPERATION
7. Wing Surface . . . . . . . . . . CHECK CONDITION
7) LEFT WING TRAILING EDGE
1. Aileron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECK Attachment, Movement, and Counterweights
2. Flap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECK Attachment and Movement
3. Undercarriage/Tire . . . . . . CHECK Condition, Inflation, and Brakes
4. Remove Chalks…………...SECURE TOW BAR
BEFORE STARTING ENGINE
1. Preflight Inspection . . . . . . COMPLETE
2. Passenger Briefing . . . . . . COMPLETE
3. Seats, Seatbelts . . . . . . . . . ADJUSTED/FASTENED
4. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TEST and SET
5. Avionics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF
6. Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . CHECK IN
7. Fuel Shutoff Valve . . . . . . ON
STARTING ENGINE
1. Mixture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RICH
2. Carburetor Heat . . . . . . . . . COLD
3. Master Switch . . . . . . . . . . ON
4. Beacon/Strobes . . . . . . . . . ON
5. Key……………………….IN IGNITION
6. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN 1/4 - 1/8 Inch
7. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON
8. Prime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AS REQUIRED (Verify In and Locked)
9. Propeller Area . . . . . . . . . . CLEAR
10. Ignition Switch . . . . . . . . .START (Release When Engine Starts)
11. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IDLE (1000 RPM or Below)
12. Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . RISING
13. Ammeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . STARTER DISENGAGED (Charging)
14. Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UP
15. Radios/Avionics . . . . . . . ON and Frequency Set
16. Transponder . . . . . . . . . . STANDBY (Set 1200 or Assigned Squawk)
17. Taxi to Run-Up Area
18. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TEST
RUNUP BEFORE TAKEOFF
1. Cabin Doors . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED and LATCHED
2. Flight Controls . . . . . . . . . FREE and CORRECT
3. Elevator Trim . . . . . . . . . . TAKEOFF
4. Flight Instruments . . . . . . CHECK and SET
5. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON/SET
6. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1700 RPM
A. Magnetos . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECK RIGHT, then LEFT
B. Carburetor Heat . . . . . . . . TEST
C. Ammeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHARGING
D. Engine Instruments . . . . . TEMP & PRESSURE
E. Suction Gauge . . . . . . . . . CHECK
7. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IDLE
8. Throttle Friction Lock . . . . ADJUST
9. Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AS REQUIRED
10. Radios/Avionics . . . . . . . SET
11. Transponder . . . . . . . . . . ALTITUDE
12. Mixture………………….RICH
NORMAL TAKEOFF
1. Wing Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . 0°-10°
2. Carburetor Heat . . . . . . . . COLD
3. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FULL/OPEN
4. Elevator Control . . . . . . . . ROTATE @ 50 KIAS
5. Climb Speed . . . . . . . . . . . 65-75 KIAS
SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF
1. Wing Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10°
2. Carburetor Heat . . . . . . . . . Cold
3. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . APPLY
4. Mixture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RICH
5. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FULL/OPEN
6. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RELEASE
7. Elevator Control . . . . . . . . ROTATE @ 50 KIAS
8. Climb Speed . . . . . . . . . . . 54 KIAS (Until Obstacles Cleared)
9. Wing Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . RETRACT @ 60+ KIAS
CRUISE
1. Pitch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LEVEL FLIGHT
2. Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SET TO CRUISE
3. Trim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SET
4. Mixture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LEANED
this would be about 20-30 minutes if your thorough, 10-15 if yer going through it at a good pace.... a preflight on something more complex would have many similar steps but they would probably be ran from the flight engineers panel, with automated checks and diagnostics doing a lot of the work
Then again there is no substitute for a pilot/engineer putting hands on and manually checking systems for leaks damage, and things that just look wrong....then again the guy who taught me was an old school Airforce pilot from back in the day when the F-100 was in use.
Here is a checklist for preflight procedures for a more complex aircraft...the F-18 Hornet.
http://tazpublic.free.fr/Documentation/Checklists_VRS_FA-18E_v1.1.pdf
But way back when I was getting my certification( 1980s) you got the preflight routine drilled into yer head... you would not want to know how often "Failed to perform Preflight " ( or some version of the statement) shows up in n accident report.
This is a snip of the preflight for a cessna 152, it's a fairly simple pre-flight compared to what a preflight on a passenger jet, or small craft in Traveller would look like
i doubt it would be as complex as the pre-flight on a nasa launch which might take days to complete....but it would probably follow the same rough procedures as a modern day aircraft.
CABIN
1. Check Discrepancies and Inspections
2. Required Papers in Airplane (AROW)
2. Enter HOBBS Reading on TACH Sheet
3. Control Wheel Lock . . . . . REMOVE
4. Ignition Switch . . . . . . . . . OFF
5. Master Switch . . . . . . . . . . ON
6. Fuel Gauges . . . . . . . . . . . QUANTITY
7. Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30°
8. Master Switch . . . . . . . . . . OFF
9. Fuel Shutoff Valve . . . . . . ON
2) FUSELAGE AND EMPENNAGE
1. Fuel Drain . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN
2. Fuselage/Empennage . . . . CHECK CONDITION
3. Rudder Gust Lock . . . . . . . REMOVE
4. Tail Tie-down . . . . . . . . . . DISCONNECT
5. Control Surfaces . . . . . . . . CHECK Attachment and Movement
6. Empennage/Fuselage. . . . CHECK CONDITION
3) RIGHT WING TRAILING EDGE
1. Flap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECK Attachment and Movement
2. Aileron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECK Attachment, Movement, and Counterweights
4) RIGHT WING
1. Wing Tie Down . . . . . . . . .DISCONNECT
2. Undercarriage/Tire . . . . . . CHECK Condition, Inflation, and Brakes
3. Fuel Drain . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN
4. Fuel Quantity . . . . . . . . . . DIP/MEASURE
5. Fuel Filler Cap . . . . . . . . . SECURE (Check Vent)
6. Wing Surface . . . . . . . . . . CHECK CONDITION
7. Windshield………………..CLEAN
5) NOSE
1. Engine Oil Level . . . . . . . . 4-6 QUARTS
2. Fuel Sump . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN
3. Prop/Spinner . . . . . . . . . . . CONDITION
4. Alternator Belt . . . . . . . . . TIGHT
5. Oil Cooler . . . . . . . . . . . . . UNOBSTRUCTED
6. Landing Light……………............CLEAN
7. Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UNOBSTRUCTED
8. Wheel Strut/Tire . . . . . . . . CHECK Condition and Inflation
9. Static Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . UNRESTRICTED
6) LEFT WING
1. Fuel Quantity . . . . . . . . . . DIP/MEASURE
2. Fuel Filler Cap . . . . . . . . . SECURE (Check Vent)
3. Pitot Tube . . . . . . . . . . . . . UNRESTRICTED/CLEAR
4. Fuel Tank Vent . . . . . . . . . CLEAR
5. Wing Tie Down . . . . . . . . DISCONNECT
6. Stall Warning . . . . . . . . . . OPERATION
7. Wing Surface . . . . . . . . . . CHECK CONDITION
7) LEFT WING TRAILING EDGE
1. Aileron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECK Attachment, Movement, and Counterweights
2. Flap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECK Attachment and Movement
3. Undercarriage/Tire . . . . . . CHECK Condition, Inflation, and Brakes
4. Remove Chalks…………...SECURE TOW BAR
BEFORE STARTING ENGINE
1. Preflight Inspection . . . . . . COMPLETE
2. Passenger Briefing . . . . . . COMPLETE
3. Seats, Seatbelts . . . . . . . . . ADJUSTED/FASTENED
4. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TEST and SET
5. Avionics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF
6. Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . CHECK IN
7. Fuel Shutoff Valve . . . . . . ON
STARTING ENGINE
1. Mixture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RICH
2. Carburetor Heat . . . . . . . . . COLD
3. Master Switch . . . . . . . . . . ON
4. Beacon/Strobes . . . . . . . . . ON
5. Key……………………….IN IGNITION
6. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN 1/4 - 1/8 Inch
7. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON
8. Prime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AS REQUIRED (Verify In and Locked)
9. Propeller Area . . . . . . . . . . CLEAR
10. Ignition Switch . . . . . . . . .START (Release When Engine Starts)
11. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IDLE (1000 RPM or Below)
12. Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . RISING
13. Ammeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . STARTER DISENGAGED (Charging)
14. Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UP
15. Radios/Avionics . . . . . . . ON and Frequency Set
16. Transponder . . . . . . . . . . STANDBY (Set 1200 or Assigned Squawk)
17. Taxi to Run-Up Area
18. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TEST
RUNUP BEFORE TAKEOFF
1. Cabin Doors . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED and LATCHED
2. Flight Controls . . . . . . . . . FREE and CORRECT
3. Elevator Trim . . . . . . . . . . TAKEOFF
4. Flight Instruments . . . . . . CHECK and SET
5. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON/SET
6. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1700 RPM
A. Magnetos . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECK RIGHT, then LEFT
B. Carburetor Heat . . . . . . . . TEST
C. Ammeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHARGING
D. Engine Instruments . . . . . TEMP & PRESSURE
E. Suction Gauge . . . . . . . . . CHECK
7. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IDLE
8. Throttle Friction Lock . . . . ADJUST
9. Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AS REQUIRED
10. Radios/Avionics . . . . . . . SET
11. Transponder . . . . . . . . . . ALTITUDE
12. Mixture………………….RICH
NORMAL TAKEOFF
1. Wing Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . 0°-10°
2. Carburetor Heat . . . . . . . . COLD
3. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FULL/OPEN
4. Elevator Control . . . . . . . . ROTATE @ 50 KIAS
5. Climb Speed . . . . . . . . . . . 65-75 KIAS
SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF
1. Wing Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10°
2. Carburetor Heat . . . . . . . . . Cold
3. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . APPLY
4. Mixture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RICH
5. Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FULL/OPEN
6. Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RELEASE
7. Elevator Control . . . . . . . . ROTATE @ 50 KIAS
8. Climb Speed . . . . . . . . . . . 54 KIAS (Until Obstacles Cleared)
9. Wing Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . RETRACT @ 60+ KIAS
CRUISE
1. Pitch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LEVEL FLIGHT
2. Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SET TO CRUISE
3. Trim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SET
4. Mixture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LEANED
this would be about 20-30 minutes if your thorough, 10-15 if yer going through it at a good pace.... a preflight on something more complex would have many similar steps but they would probably be ran from the flight engineers panel, with automated checks and diagnostics doing a lot of the work
Then again there is no substitute for a pilot/engineer putting hands on and manually checking systems for leaks damage, and things that just look wrong....then again the guy who taught me was an old school Airforce pilot from back in the day when the F-100 was in use.
Here is a checklist for preflight procedures for a more complex aircraft...the F-18 Hornet.
http://tazpublic.free.fr/Documentation/Checklists_VRS_FA-18E_v1.1.pdf
