FUNDAMENTALS OF PATROL PLANE HANDLING

[Music] for preparing an airplane for flight is vitally important business in time of War particularly when the airplane belongs to a squadron of Patrol plane [Music] bombers the plane Crews receive their orders at the morning muster they know their jobs and they are ready for action they know how to take orders and how to carry them out because their duties have taught them the meaning of teamwork and its great importance in the success of every flight all out flight preparations begin with the removal of securing lines and battens note that the crew uses a ladder for faster and safer work topside when the plane Captain also known as the first mechanic has unlocked the waist hatch the crew members go to work each man has definite duties and he performs them with speed and thoroughness knowing that every other crew member has his own duties to carry out tie lines which secured the plane overnight are removed from the bow the tail and the wings the engine covers come off next in cold climates or whenever the plane remains idle for any length of time engine covers are used for protection everything ship shape is the mark of a smart crew and a well-run airplane all lines are made up neatly and efficiently ready for instant use in case of emergency and placed in one spot for stowing aboard the plane the cockpit covers come off next they help protect the many sensitive instruments on which plane and crew depend for safety in the air in removing the Aeron battens the wing line fittings are hinged back flush with the Leading Edge and a tug on the line pulls the Batton off to remove the elevator Batton use a ladder it's safer that way for you and the airplane the lines and battens are now ready to be placed aboard all gear is carefully stowed inside the plane and each item of equipment has a definite place so that any member of the the crew knows where to find it quickly even in the dark meanwhile other flight preparations take place the third pilot brings aboard the octant chronometer and other navigating instruments and through the open Tunnel hatch ammunition is taken aboard the magazines containing machine gun ammunition are carefully placed in the racks provided for them float lights and other pyrate Technics also have their appointed places handle these just as carefully as you handle ammunition the tunnel hatch is then closed and tightly dogged a loose or open Tunnel hatch has spelled disaster for more than one Patrol bomber whose negligent crew failed to make sure that the tunnel hatch was firmly locked and tightened enough fresh water and food are taken aboard to provide for a long flight or the possibility of an emergency landing in the cockpit the third pilot removes the locking mechanism from the rudder elevator and Aeron controls once these controls are unlocked the third pilot mans them until the arrival of the plane commander in the Pilot's ready room the plane commander looks up his flight schedule and receives his orders the second pilot who usually acts as navigator also receives details of the flight orders the plane commander and the Navigator study charts and weather reports and plot their course they arm themselves with the necessary information as to weather conditions the strength and direction of prevailing wind water currents and other vital flight data they also acquaint themselves with suitable places to come down if an emergency landing should become necessary with the details of the flight carefully worked out and clearly in mind the plane commander and his second pilot are ready to board their plane as he approaches the plane Commander takes in every detail of the plan's exterior condition he observes the Readiness for flight of control surfaces Wings engines hatches and a score of items the safety of the airplane and the crew is his responsibility and he makes sure that the necessary pre-flight preparations have been made as he climbs aboard the plane Commander continues his careful inspection he notes the ready condition of the waist hatch and the two crewmen which comprise the after station then the ammunition racks supplies of pyrot Technics life rafts and life jackets and many other items of equipment in the after compartment as he makes his way forward his eyes take in the auxiliary power plant and the tower overhead and while he gets into his flight gear he receives a verbal Readiness report from the first radio Man by the time he takes his station at the controls there is little about the plane that has escaped his attention the plane Captain makes sure all is clear in the path of the slipstream and that the Chucks are in place he sees that no Loose Gear or tools are left on wings or Hull then he too climbs aboard a life preserver and parachute harness must be worn by every man aboard during flight and the plane captain gets into his harness and jacket before climbing up to his seat in the tower where his movements would be restricted and now with the tower station man the starting and testing of the engines can begin prior to starting each propeller must be pulled through by hand so as a safety precaution the pilot makes sure that the ignition switches are turned off and that both throttles are closed the second mechanic also checks that the switches are off there is a good reason why the propellers are first pulled through by hand before starting the engines it must be determined that the combustion chambers of the lower cylinders are free of oil so each engine has turned over at least three full crankshaft revolutions serious damage to the engine could result if it were started with an excessive accumulation of oil in the combustion chamber of a lower cylinder such an oil lock would resist all further turning over by hand and when this situation is found the propeller should never be backed up this would merely shift the accumulated oil to the intake manifold and from there it would flow right back to the combustion chamber as soon as the engine started the remedy is to remove the spark plugs from the lower cylinders so that the oil in the combustion Chambers will drain out when the engines are ready for starting a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher must be on hand in case a back fire causes the engine to break into Flame the plane Commander or orders the interphone system switched on to which the first radio man attends next the auxiliary power plant is started its operation puts a direct charge into the batteries and compensates for the overload resulting from energizing the starters for starting and stopping hydromatic propellers are set in the high RPM or low pitch position because on this type of propeller no oil is drained from the engine while starting with the hydromatic propellers in high RPM setting with the fire extinguisher manned and ready and all hands at their proper stations the engines are ready ready for starting the plane Commander instructs the tower standby to start engin I I sir the plane Captain makes sure that the carburetor mixture control is at the idle cut off setting he brings the cowl flaps to full open thus providing better engine Cooling during the starting and testing period next he opens the fuel tank valve and checks for current at the starters then he reports to the pilot start us ready sir very well Tower the plane Commander opens the throttle about the width of his thumb and orders Prime the port engine I sir the plane Captain makes certain that the carburetor preheat control is in the cold position he gives the priming pump three to five Strokes in order to bring sufficient fuel into the Cylinder Heads next he works the wobble pump up to fuel pressure of 10 to 14 lb then he reports port engine Prime sir very well start Port I I sir the inertia starter is energized and then he calls for contact Port the plane Commander closes the port ignition switch and reports contact Port then the plane Captain engages the port [Music] starter as soon as the engine begins firing the tower sets the mixture control to automatic rich and the plane Commander reduces the RPM because the engine is still cold the starboard engine is Reed in similar manner the propeller has been pulled through cowl flaps are open the engine is primed and the starter is energized but never for more than 12 seconds will to avoid overheating and then contact starbo the pilot closes the starboard ignition switch contact starboard the starter is [Music] engaged and now the starboard engine also starts to fire the mixture control is at once moved to automatic rich and all instruments in the tower are now checked and observed for proper functioning but wait the oil pressure gauge fails to register if it does not respond within 30 seconds the plane Captain must stop the engine At Once by returning the mixture control to idle cut off this stops the flow of gr gas into the engine the correct procedure now is to start the engine again [Music] but whenever you have difficulty starting remember that after three attempted starts the accelerating motor should be rested for at least 5 minutes to permit it to cool this time the oil pressure registers properly and the plane Captain reports oil pressure up sir very well the engines are now warmed up at about one4 throttle until the temperature of the oil and cylinder heads is high enough for engine tests the plane Commander uses this period to test the freedom of movement and range of operation of all flight controls when the engines are sufficiently warmed up the pilot opens the throttles to about 70% rated power in order to make an adequate test of the Dual ignition system on each engine as you know in the combustion chamber of a modern airplane engine two spark plugs ignite the gas Vaper simultaneously and each spark plug is fired by a separate Magneto so it is necessary to test each Magneto by itself the engine is first run on both magnito through experience the pilot learns to know by his instruments and the sound of the engine whether it is operating [Music] correctly he checks the RPM 1,700 is a good average for this test now the engine is switched from both magnetos to the left Magneto only and the pilot listens for unusual changes in the tone of the engine the tachometer shows a drop from 1700 to about 1650 RPM such a loss is normal when switching from two magnetos to one now switch back to both magnetos wait till the engine has recovered to the full 1700 RPM then switch over to the right Magneto only from 1700 RPM to about 1660 RPM again a normal loss if a drop of more than 100 RPM occurred when operating on one Magneto the flight should be delayed until the cause of the trouble is located and rectified both the plane commander and the plane Captain watch their instruments and listen for such danger [Music] signals when each Magneto indicates normal performance the pilot switches back to both magnetos and notes the return of the engine to its original sound and operation at 17700 RPM both engines of course are tested in this way for Magneto performance in the meantime the first radio man checks the generators to make certain that they are charging at the proper [Music] rate and the pilot makes a final check of the propellers for RPM control and overall functioning with particular attention to their response to changes in the setting of the pitch control with the completion of the tests on both engines the plane Captain checks the carburetor preheat control in the cold position at the wing tip float controls are on down and reports to the pilot to ready for launching sir very well the security and watertight Integrity of the tunnel hatch is checked by the second mechanic who was assigned to the after station he then reports after station ready for launching sir very well during this time the plane Commander adjusts his rate of climb indicators alter meters and all other instruments which must be set to zero prior to flight unless radio Silence has been ordered the pilot switches over for the inter Squadron voice frequency test he adjusts the receiver to the correct frequency and sets it at the necessary volume and then following the proper procedure laid down for all radio voice Communications he calls the Squadron base station to check the strength and clearness of his transmission the test completed the plane Commander concludes with this is 101 out with all flight preparation in good order the plane Commander receives a filled out and initial daily flight inspection form the yellow sheet as it is commonly called this informs the pilot that all crew members have perform their required duties and that the airplane is prepared for flight at the same time a verbal report is made as to the number and condition of life jackets parachute harnesses and shoots on board the number of rounds of ammunition and pyot Technics the number and condition of Life rafts and life-saving Equipment carried and other important items then satisfied that his airplane is ready in all respect the plane Commander signs below these significant words I accept this aircraft for flight with the above listed [Music] passengers when the beach Master comes alongside and receives the yellow sheet the full significance of flight preparation is brought home the pilot has signified that this Patrol bomber is ready in all respects for flight and orders are at once given to take the airplane through the next operation [Music] launching a