How to do a Positive Control Check?

What I prefer is not always what I do, but this is what I want.

I sit in the cockpit and have the assistant deflect the control completely
and I try to pull it away from the deflection (held fully deflected in both
directions one after the other. For the divebrakes I want the assistant to
hold them closed while I try to open, and then I want them to hold them
open while I try to close. For this latter test I want them to hold the
plate at the end and not ever hold by the cap.

I believe your notion is better -- being the outside person examining the
control and having the assistant work the stick and pedals, etc.

At 01:13 04 June 2008, ContestID67 wrote:
A recent accident (disconnected aileron) got me thinking about
positive control checks. I searched the RAS archives and didn't find
any details on how people do this.

I was trained by my CFIG, like most of you I hope, to do a positive
control check every day. Actually it was more like it was drilled
into me. This was even done on club ships that remain assembled for
the season.

As a beginning pilot I would sit in the cockpit and move the controls
as someone more experienced put their hands on the flight surfaces.
Later I found that anyone can handle the controls, it's the hands on
the surfaces that was much more telling if things were connected
properly or not. My ship does not have automatic hookups so this is
especially important to me.

I got into the habit of having my assistant move the control one way,
then the other, then back again with full deflection. All the while I
was putting pressure on the surface and, at the same time, wiggling
the surface to simulate take off vibration. So far, no incidents,
knock on wood.

So, the question is, how do *YOU* do your positive control check?

John "67" DeRosa

I (the pilot) always try to be the one on the control surfaces during
a PCC - because thin glass and foam (or fabric-covered controls) can
be dented & damaged MUCH more easily than a metal control-stick!

--Noel