Safety Hot Spot
Safety Hot Spot: Spring Preflight
Like people, flying machines need regular exercise to stay in shape. Unfortunately, the cold, ice, snow, and darkness of winter mean that many airplanes sit idle for months at a time, and bad things tend to befall pilots who just "kick the tires and light the fires" on the first warm day of the year. Check out the resources in this Safety Hot Spot for tips on getting your airplane ready for the spring flying season.
Get Started
Here's a review of what you need to know—and bring—before you go.
Spring Preflight Safety Checkup
Kneeboard format (PDF file — 28KB)
Great Learning Tools
Articles and other online resources from AOPA and the AOPA Air Safety Foundation to increase your knowledge about spring preflight.
Publications
- Safety Advisor: Propeller Safety (PDF file — 56KB)
- Safety Advisor: Fuel Awareness (PDF file — 240KB)
- Safety Brief: Misfueling (PDF file — 88KB)
- AOPA Pilot and Flight Training articles:
Other Resources
- Online Course
- General Aviation Accident Data from the ASF Accident Database
- Bird's nest results in a precautionary landing
- Field mouse nest causes power loss
- Fuel contamination—water and a winged insect
- Stored aircraft had old, gel-like fuel
- Out of oil, out of power
- Flat tire leads to a loss of directional control on landing
- Bird Hazard Photos
Take a Checkride
Think you're ready? Take a quiz and test your spring preflight ability.
Sporty's Safety Quiz
Related Web Sites
Safety Hot Spot Archive
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Updated Tuesday, November 13, 2007 9:47 AM
