Pre-flight checks
- Door > OPEN (unlock upper and lower door hatches then push door)
- Baggage Door > OPEN (use EFB)
Pre-flight inspections
- Magneto selector > OFF
- Landing gear > DOWN
- Parking brake > ON
- Avionics > OFF
- Mixture lever > IDLE CUT-OFF
- Battery master > ON
- Fuel gauges > CHECK (36 gallons per tank)
- Landing gear lights > confirm (three green lights)
- Navigation lights > ON
- Rotating beacon lights > ON
- Anti-collision lights > ON
- Landing lights > ON
- All exterior lights > confirm ON; then turn OFF
- Annunciator lights > confirm (illuminated)
- Low voltage light > confirm (illuminated)
- BATT MASTR > OFF
- Flight controls > check full and free movement
- Flaps > check extend/retract fully
- Elevator and rudder trims > move to centre/neutral position
- Switch to external view and carry out visual inspection of the aircraft
- Wheel chocks and tie-downs > check VISIBLE
- Towbar > confirm NOT CONNECTED/VISIBLE
- Battery > RECHARGE (if discharged)
- Oil quantity > REFILL (if less than 8 quarts)
Starting the engine
- Chocks and tie-downs > REMOVE
- Baggage door > CLOSE (use EFB)
- Passenger door > CLOSE (pull and shut; then LATCH)
- Parking brake > SET
- Circuit breakers > all pushed in
- Fuel selector > rotate to LEFT position
- Propeller > move to FULL FORWARD position
- Throttle > 1/4 OPEN
- Alternate air > confirm CLOSE
- Avionics > confirm OFF
- Battery master > ON
- Navigation lights > ON
- Rotating beacon lights > ON
- Fuel pump > ON
- MIxture lever > FULL RICH (check fuel flow); then IDLE CUTOFF
- Magneto/start selector > START (check area clear); then RELEASE
- Mixture lever > FULL RICH (when engine starts)
- Oil pressure and temperature > check rising
- Alternator > ON (check associated warning light extinguishes)
- Throttle > adjust to maintain 1,400 to 1,500 rpm
- Vacuum gauge > check within given limits (normal – 4.8 to 5.1 inHG; max 6.0 inHG)
- Fuel selector > switch RIGHT; then LEFT (to check both tanks operating)
Configuring the avionics
Configure avionics for departure.
- Heading bug > maintain runway heading
- VOR frequency > tune NAV 1 and NAV 2
- NAV/GPS source switch > check set to NAV
- Function switch > RMT (remote) position
- DME selector switch > set to NAV 1
Taxi
Start taxiing to the runway threshold.
- Parking brake > RELEASE
- Throttle > apply power slowly to start rolling
- Steering > use rudder pedals and brakes (for tight turns).
- Gyroscopic instruments > check operation by means of alternate turns (horizontal attitude, heading, and turn and bank indicators)
- Stop at holding point
- Carry out power (ground) check)
Power (ground) check
- Parking brake > SET
- Propeller lever > FULL FORWARD
- Carry out magneto check
Magneto check
- Throttle lever > advance to obtain 2,000 rpm
- Magneto selector > rotate to LEFT position (note RPM drop); then back to BOTH position
- Repeat the process for the right magneto.
Other checks
- Vacuum, oil temperature, oil pressure, and ammeter readings > check within limits
- PRESS-TO-TEST button > confirm all annunciator lights illuminate
- Mixture lever > set to FULL RICH (full forward)
- Fuel selector > set to the fullest tank
- Carry out propeller check.
Propeller check
- Throttle lever > advance to obtain 2,000 rpm
- Propeller lever > cycle twice, moving it aft towards the high pitch/low RPM position then forwards towards the low pitch/high RPM position.
- Note the RPM drop on tachometer.
- Reset lever to FULL FORWARD position.
- Carry out alternate air check.
Alternate air check
- Alternate air knob > pull and check manifold pressure doesn’t drop; then push in again.
Fuel system check
- Fuel pump > OFF (confirm fuel pressure within green sector)
- Throttle > reduce to idle; check for rough running
Before take-off checks
- Battery master > ON
- Alternator > ON
- Fuel selector > select fullest tank
- Fuel pump > ON
- Alternate air lever > CLOSE
- Mixture lever > FULL FORWARD position
- Propeller lever > FULL FORWARD position
- Flaps > set to 10 degrees (first stage)
- Magneto selector > confirm BOTH position
- Landing lights > ON
- Anti-collision lights > ON
- Pitch trim wheel > set to neutral/centre position
- Passenger/baggage doors > confirm LOCKED
- Flight controls > full and free movement
- Pitot heat > ON
- Left and right > check clear
- Approch and runway > check clear
- Taxi onto the runway
Take-off
- Line up with the runway centre line and then come to a stop.
- Smoothly apply full power (use rudder to keep it running down the centre line)
- at 65 knots > raise the nose of the aircraft
- once safely airborne > tap the brakes and then raise the landing gear
- Maintain climb speed of approx. 90 knots (hold runway heading)
- at 300ft AGL > retract flaps
Climb
- Pitch > adjust to maintain 90 knots climb speed and maintain heading
- at 1,000ft > switch OFF fuel pump and landing lights.
- at 2,000ft > check VOR/DME
- OBS knob > rotate on the HSI until CDI needle centres with a TO flag visible
- Bring aircraft onto the selected course (tracking inbound to VOR)
- Autopilot > ENGAGE (A/P ON position) and maintain course to VOR
- Heading switch > move to HDG ON position
- Coupler radio selector > check/set to NAV 1
- Navigation/approach coupler knob > set to NAV (navigation hold mode)
- Adjust pitch to maintain climb (Autopilot does not control aircraft pitch)
Cruise
- Altitude hold mode > ENGAGE (click ‘PIPER’ label above nav/approach coupler knob – not available in real life Piper AutoControl IIIB)
- Reduce throttle to obtain 23 inHG on manifold pressure gauge
- Reduce propeller lever to obtain 2,200 rpm on the tachometer (typical cruise power setting)
- Fuel tank > monitor quantity; switch every half hour; do not exceed imbalance of 10 US gallons (enable auto fuel selector from EFB for convenience)
- Check/monitor distance to next VOR/waypoint.
- Flight info > use EFB for real time for info
- with 5 miles to run > rotate OBS knob on VOR 2 until CDI needle centres with a TO flag visible; then move coupler radio selector to NAV 2.
- DME selector > set to NAV 2 to monitor distance to next VOR
- Rotate heading bug on HSI to match up current heading; then rotate the navigation/approach coupler knob to HDG position.
- Use heading bug to track towards next waypoint.
Descent
- Propeller lever > move to fully forward (high RPM) position
- Throttle lever > reduce to obtain 15 inHG on the manifold pressure gauge (check airspeed start to decrease)
- at 110 knots > start the descent; disengage altitude hold mode; pitch down to obtain -500ft/min descent rate.
- Adjust throttle to maintain 110 knots.
Approach and landing
- at 1,000ft > reduce vertical speed to enter flight level and increase throttle as the aircraft levels out to maintain airspeed
- Autopilot > disengage (HDG OFF and A/P OFF)
- Landing light > ON
- Fuel pump > ON
- Propeller lever > fully forward
- Mixture lever > fully forward
- Fuel selector > set to fullest tank
- at base leg > reduce airspeed to 100 knots and extend flaps to 10degrees position
- Landing gear > extend (confirm three greens)
- Reduce airspeed further to 85 knots
- Flaps > extend to 25degrees position
- Begin a descending turn to position on final for runway.
- once established on final > extend flaps to 40 degrees (fully down) position
- Reduce power to begin slowing to a touchdown speed of approx 75 knots
- as the aircraft arrives over the runway > flare; raise nose gently above horizon; reduce throttle to idle and touch down smoothly
- Apply gentle braking once aircraft slowed to fast walking pace
- Exit runway
- Flaps > RAISE
- Landing and anti-collision lights > OFF
- Fuel pump > OFF
- Pitot heat > OFF
Shutdown
- Taxi to nearest avaialable parking spot
- Parking brake > ENGAGE
- Avionics > OFF
- Throttle lever > IDLE
- MIxture lever > IDLE CUTOFF (to shutdown engine; disengage mixture lock)
- Magneto selector > OFF (once engine comes to a stop)
- Navigation lights > OFF
- Rotating beacon lights > OFF
- Alternator > OFF
- Battery > OFF (to disconnect electrical power)
- Fuel selector > FUEL OFF position
- Passenger/baggage doors > OPEN
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