IMAA Preflight Inspection

[grind2tenths]

I just returned from the Fighter Flight for Cancer mini-fest in Dannville Virginia. This was a great event to attend and made some new friends along the way. I would like to comment on the IMAA inspection that all of us should do prior to each flight. My dads plane had not been flown in about 3 months but had been moved to his new home in July. Sometime in the move we suspect that one of his elevators had gotten bumped hard enough to break the pin loose in the top of his servo. Yes we checked funtion of up and down right and left on all surfaces, and everything was working in the right direction before we left. When we were doing our IMAA inspection so we could fly we discovered when showing the inspector that everything was tight and working we found that one servo was stripped. This saved his plane! We loaded it back in the trailer and flew something else. My concern throughout this ordeal was the fact that other people at this fly-in had skipped this procedure and went right to the flight line and started flying their planes. When approached by the inspectors they seemed liked it was a bother to them and flew anyway. This kinda bothered me because the guy would spend his entire flight right on the deck in front of the flight line. These guidelines are thre for everyones safety and should be observed by everyone. Thanks to the IMAA for trying to keep this hobby safe for everyone.

[planestiffi]

This is not the norm for any IMAA event that ive ever been too. At the IMAA events ive been to you are not aloud to even start the plane until you have an IMAA inspection tag on your plane. this is the fault of the organisers and should be brought to attention. this should never happen at any IMAA event some pilots seem to think they are immune to this and thats sad that this happens in our great hobby.

[sweetpea]

How was the inspection run?

I know alot of events I have attended it was upto the pilot to perform the inspection then they signed off. Or maybe some of these folks were locals and already had the plane signed off? Did you ask the CD about it or are you just assuming they didn't do the inspection?

My biggest gripe with inspections is the inspector themselves. Sometimes they only fly .40 glo size planes. They wouldn't know what to look for on a 40% or complex warbird if it bit them on the arse.

I inspect my own planes, and if need be I'll do it infront of the inspector, but I don't trust inspectors since they were not there when I built the plane

[grind2tenths]

This event was a self inspection with an official of the event present. You actually inspected the plane in front of them and then you and the inspector signed off you got your sticker and flew. I think these particular pilots registered then got their planes out and started to fly. One of them made the comment after the inspector confronted him made the comment to another person on the flightline Well I got busted. One thing that was missing was a line boss that kept people in line on the flight line. I don't really know how they were trying to police the plane inspection enforcement. I am just thankful that by having the inspection in place it helped save my dads plane. One thing that needs to be added to the inspection imho is show during inspection that you failsafe works on engine shut down. I witnessed a plane getting away from someone and they hadn't set their failsafe and by mistake turn their radio off while meaning to shut his throttle off by using the trim. The plane went to half throttle or above and went into one of the pilot stations barriers. It medd up the prop and the PVC pipe got one of the wings pretty bad. But it barely missed the pilot and his spotter. If it hadn't hit the safety barrier the next area was the pitts.

[sweetpea]

I don't believe that failsafe is required (or better yet, engine to idle or off during failsafe). Only thing required is 3 ways to turn off the motor which is typically (but doesn't have to be) the radio trim, ignition kill of some type and a switch to the ignition battery.

Anyone know the rule to be different for IMAA?

[planestiffi]

so how does one person determine that their own plane is safe i would ask someone that has experience with large scale aircraft to go over my aircraft with me and i would think that the cd of the event should have these people in place for just these situations we are expected as pilots and profesionals to be responsible and not just think our aircraft is considered safe i know that i get rushed at these events and just having someone else pick over my aircraft and if they notice something needs attention i would gladly have another set of eyes.

[Downhumpty]

IMAA Safety Code (Revised 1/31/03)

SECTION 5.0: EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUT OFF (Kill Switch)

5.1

Magneto spark ignition engines must have a coil-grounding switch on the aircraft to stop the engine. This will also prevent accidental starting of the engine. This switch shall be readily available to both pilot and spotter/helper. This switch is to be operated manually and without the use of the Radio System.

5.2

Engines with battery powered ignition systems must have a switch to turn off the power from the battery pack to disable the engine from firing. This will also prevent accidental starting of the engine. This switch shall be readily available to both pilot and spotter/helper. This switch shall be operated manually and without the use of the Radio System.

5.3

There must also be a means to stop the engine from the transmitter. The most common method is to close the carburetor throat completely using throttle trim, however other methods are acceptable. This requirement applies to all glow/gas ignition engines regardless of size.