Preflight Walkaround

Index format.

Item to Inspect	Desired Condition	Common failure
Wing tip fuel vents	Bolted solidly in place	Can Interfere with ailerons. More
Wing tip fuel vents	Inner vent hole open	Hole can get blocked. More
Spinner	Should not wobble, no cracks	Wobbly spinner can come loose. More
Flap position	Should be flush with Ailerons	May not fully retract.
Stabilator wriggle	Should be tight, up/down and fore/aft	Can become loose for several reasons. More
RG Items	Desired Condition	Common failure
Nose gear uplock actuator	Should be pointed down	Actuated, pointed up. More
Nose gear door grommet	Solid and centered	If deteriorated can cause door to hook gear.
RG oil cooler	Verify baffles outside duct	Improved cooling with baffles outside. Details

CFO Preflight Walkaround page

This page may also be viewed in a narrower Index format

We all want to be safe when we fly. But how can you know all the little clues that might be a sign of a problem? How does one gain the experience to see those hints of problems to come?

Yes, Cessna provides a fine manual and checklist for doing the walkaround on your Cardinal. We advise you use it! But there are a few particular things that you might want to check out that are not mentioned in that manual. But there is more to know than that book provides: experience with Cardinals. And the member of the Cardinal Flyers have that experience. This page is a collection of experiences and knowledge gained by Cardinal Flyers around the world and across many years. It will offer clues and explainations for those little hints that could turn into a problem in the air.

So read on and enjoy! If nothing else, you should be a big hit at the next Cardinal fly-in as you try out your skills on everyone elses airplane. But be forewarned.. everyone else will be looking at your airplane too!

Regardless of any suggestions or information that might be exchanged herein, Federal Aviation Regulations, the aircraft operating manual and various publications and communications from the FAA and aircraft and component manufacturers remain the ultimate authority.

Please help us build this page! We welcome experiences, comments and especially problems found (hopefully with the solution!) Just drop a note to the Webmaster, Keith Peterson