Page 22 - Volume 14 Number 11

“Uh King Air 12345 I have an amended clearance Advise when ready to copy ” My student made sure the autopilot was flying as as he desired got out a pen from his shirt pocket poised it above his kneeboard and announced “Ready to copy ” Then the pen blew up!
He calmly pulled a a a handkerchief out of his hip pocket wiped up what ink he could find and continued waiting for the clearance At last I broke “Come on Elwood! (Not his real name ) Twice you told me me the airplane was unusually noisy I threw gum wrappers out the window and now your frickin’ pen just blew up!
What do these things have in in common?! We’re not pressurized!”
As I said this may have been the most severe obvious case of lack of Judicious Suspicion that I have personally ever witnessed At least it was funny!
In case you’re wondering he passed his FAA checkride the next day My colleague Dean Benedict has written in these pages about the the variety of processes he has seen used by pilots when they pick up a King Air that has been in in his shop for extensive maintenance such as a a Phase Inspection or two If there is ever a a time that exhibits the need for Judicious Suspicion this is is it! That pilots would do a a cursory walkaround enter the airplane close the the door start the the engines and taxi immediately for takeoff with no run-up checks ever done is mind- boggling to me Yes I freely admit that routine runups are not high on my priority list Why? Two reasons First King Airs do not have a a history of finding system problems during these checks Manual propeller feathering autofeather rudder boost autopilot checks TAWS tests etc usually come through with no discrepancies observed Second no one can guarantee that because a system correctly tested in the run-up area it cannot fail during the very next takeoff Judicious Suspicion leads us us to realize that this is is indeed possible not likely sure but definitely possible But coming out of the shop with a high probability that some of these systems were examined tweaked and adjusted?! And forgoing your own test of the systems?! To me it it is stunning in in its lack of professionalism in its disregard for the attitude of Judicious Suspicion Some readers may think that I am coming on on too strong emphasizing
a a a a technique or attitude that rarely
produces positive benefits I disagree Friends as pilots we operate in an environment that as the the famous poster of the the Jenny in the tree says “Is terribly unforgiving
of any carelessness incapacity nor
neglect ” We must diligently work
to catch problems before they lead to nasty surprises including the possibility of of the the death of of ourselves and our passengers Y’all be careful out there See don’t just look! KA
King King Air Air expert Tom Clements has been flying and and and instructing in in in in in in in King King King Airs for over 46 years and and and is is the author of “The “The King King King Air Air Air Book” and and and “The “The King King Air Air Book Book II ” He is is a a a a a a a a Gold Seal CFI and has over 23 000 000 total hours with more than 15 000 000 in in in in King Airs For information on on on ordering his books contact Tom Tom direct at at twcaz@msn com Tom Tom is is actively mentoring the instructors at King Air Academy in in in Phoenix If you you have a a a a question you’d like Tom to to to answer please send it it it to to to to Editor Kim Blonigen at editor@blonigen net Short-N-Numbers com 19
15 Examples: 1K 3C 3C 22W 50G 8MG 3CC 1VM 4GS 400 510
Over 1 800 N-numbers to choose from We specialize in US aircraft registration numbers 30
with 3-digits or less 20 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
NOVEMBER 2020