Airplane Checklist

This is based on the airplane inspection checklist I used when I purchased the airplane eighteen years ago, but with new data:

     
     Make            Cessna 172
     Model                    H
     Year                  1967
     Registration #       N2593L
     
     Based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA, kpsf.
     
     Total time          the engine log book says 3700 hours;
                              I have flown this airplane nearly 2000 hours.
                              I used to fly considerably, but not recently.
     
         Engine time      less than 260 Hobbs hours on the zero timed engine
                          about 274 TAC time hours
                          (An earlier engine, not this one, was from a
                          wind-destroyed AC and had several hundred hours
                          on it; that is why I did not fly all the hours on
                          that engine.)
     
         Fuel type        100LL, 80/87 octane aviation fuel;
                            The airplane had a type certificate for autogas
                            and I used it in the previous engine, but burnt
                            out valves -- I have used only 100LL octane
                            aviation fuel in the current engine.
     
     fuel capacity       36 gal
     voltage             12 volts
     
     color               red and white
     
     exterior condition  cosmetically poor, in truth fine,
                         but a new paint job will be required soon
     
     fuselage condition  cosmetically poor, as above, in truth fine
     
         chips                               none
         cracks                              none
         solidity of airframe                good
     
     wheels                                  `hub caps' that I have never used.
                                             Another fellow said they were
                                             removed per an AD; but I did
                                             not want them anyhow.
                                             No wheel pants -- I remember
                                             taking them off a previous
                                             airplane and don't want them.
     
     tire condition                          good - replaced recently
     
     brake pads                              good - replaced recently
     
     hydraulic brake leak                    none
     
     land gear struct cracked or chipped     no
     
     oleo strut                              the strut is fine
     
     propeller condition                     good; replaced an earlier
                                                   propeller about 10 years
                                                   ago
     
     dipstick & fuel strainer door           on the left side, an old, big
                                             door that is very nice
     
     wings  dented or cracked                no
     
         top                                 good
         leading edge                        good, although the paint is
                                             worn
     
         tips                                stop holes drilled in plastic
                                             tips; they do not look bad
     
     aileron hinges                          good
       cables                                good
     
     flaps                                   good  (the flaps are electrical)
     
     elevator counter-weights                good
     trim tab                                good
     elevator cables                         good
     
     rudder                                  good (replaced years ago)
     rudder cables                           good
     
     steps and handles to wings              yes  (I had them put on
                                                  immediately; they did not
                                                  exist before!)
     
     strobe lights                           yes
     landing light                           yes
     taxi light                              yes  (I don't fly much at
                                                   night any more; they
                                                   worked fine last time)
     
     windows                                 good
         tinted                               no
         crazed                               no
         cracked                              no
     
     doors
         molding                             OK - not the greatest
         handles                             good
         locks - unlock easily               yes
     
     window opens                            The window on the pilot's side
                                             opens; not the other.  I
                                             replaced the window on the
                                             pilot's side once, years ago.
     
     door stays open                         yes, mostly
     
     interior condition                      OK, but not great
     
     panel                                   good, although old
         color                                black
         cracked                              no
         loose                                no
     
     controls free, clear & smooth           yes
     
     fuel selector operation                 works fine; I turn it off
                                             after I stop the engine and
                                             turn it to both for running
     
     alternate static source                 yes
     
     clock type                              It was digital and went bad.
                                             On the panel, I attach a
                                             little electric analog clock
                                             with a second hand.
     
     carburator heat gauge                   yes, almost forgot about it
     
     EGT gauge                               yes, useful
     
     ELT                                     yes
     
     airspeed indicator                      works fine; has MPH on outside
                                             of dial; knots on inside
     
     audio panel                             old but good
     
     transponder                             yes
     mode C altitude encoding                yes
     
     ADF                                     yes
     
     marker beacons                          yes
     
     audio panel                             yes
     
                                             I fly IFR, although I don't
                                             like it and prefer to fly VFR
                                             and look at the view.
     
     DME                                     yes, King KN 84
     
     navcoms                                 King 155TSO NAV/COM
                                             Mainly I use a 720 channel
                                             digital King with flipflops
                                             for both communications and
                                             navigation (i.e, four
                                             frequencies total); it has a
                                             glide slope and localizer
     
                                             300 NAV/COM
                                             The other radio has only 360
                                             channels and I am told will
                                             have to be replaced when
                                             someone complains.  Since I
                                             use it only for listening, no
                                             one has complained
     
                                             Also, since I was in another
                                             airplane that lost all its
                                             electrical power (but not its
                                             engine), I purchased a
                                             handheld transceiver with
                                             navigation and put in a plug
                                             to the external antenna to
                                             increase range a bit.  I have
                                             never had use it ...
     
                                             In addition, I have put in
                                             power for a portable Garmin
                                             GPS.  That works fine.
     

The airplane flies well. My dreams were worse than expected when I decided to sell it. I have over 2700 hours experience, almost all private. I have been across the country half a dozen times and to Alaska once.