How good is your preflight inspection?

Dooga wrote:

I at least would not like to do a flight in a plane that has been standing around for long enough for birds to build nests on, especially not for a check ride!

3 weeks without flying in an undisturbed hangar are more than enough, as I learned last spring …

Blueline, that’s a wonderful photo. Hope you were able to come to terms amicably with your fellow flyer.

I did, although it meant I was grounded for another 2 or 3 weeks.

Superb photo, blueline.

I never fly without a short walkaround that includes the following items (first flight of day only):
- oil check
- cowl screws
- ailerons, flaps, elevators, antennas
- wheel fairings
- baggage door
- unlock right door

I have not found water in a hangared plane either in 20 years and will only drain tanks if plane was parked outside in the rain.

Very cute picture Blueline, and your air will be filtered even better..
For that reason I do take off the cowlings every now and then during the nesting season. I’ve had a bird nest last year. Plane is hangared.

In fact, an empty oil bottle fits just nicely into the inlet. That’s what I use since then.

Could do, but there are 4 openings per engine, and the two of them that pose the biggest risk of birds going in undetected are quite big and have a nasty shape to cover up. Haven’t seen any product for it.
Of course I could use full cowling covers but they are a bit of a nuisance to put on and off..
But indeed maybe good to make something dedicated for these two nasty ones.
Then again, not bad to at least sometimes during the year peek under the cowling..