B-26 Basic Flight Procedures

PREFLIGHT:

  1. Cockpit: Enter.
  2. Maintenance Forms (1 and 1A): Review
  3. Flight controls: Unlock
  4. Switches & Levers: Check "off" or neutral as appropriate
  5. Navigator compartment, bomb bays and aircraft aft section: Inspect
  6. Weight and balance: Check with the Load Adjuster

  7. Exit aircraft and perform walk-around inspection of aicraft exterior.
  8. Main landing gear and nose gear bays: Inspect for hydraulic leaks, strut condition, brake line and tire condition.
  9. Hatches: All closed.
  10. Gas filler caps: Secured.
  11. Pitot tube covers: Removed and stowed.
  12. Propellers: Rotate each through sixteen blades in direction of normal engine rotation.

  13. Reenter aircraft.
  14. Forward bomb bay fuel valves: Check ON.
  15. Main inverter cut-off switch: "ON".
  16. Navigator Compartment De-icer lever: Check "OFF".
  17. Bombardier's bomb bay door selector handle: Check in "Closed" position.

Before Starting Engines:

  1. Pilot seats: Adjust.
  2. Attach safety harnesses.
  3. Flight controls: Check free and clear.
  4. Trim tab movement: Check.
  5. Overhead hatches: Closed and latched.
  6. Parking brake: Set and locked.
  7. Landing gear lever: Check down.
  8. Pitot heat: "OFF".
  9. Emergency air brake bleeder valve: "OFF".
  10. External power source: Connected to left nacelle.
  11. Master switch: "OFF".
  12. Ignition switch: "OFF".
  13. Battery switches: "OFF".
  14. Blowers: "LOW".
  15. Oil cooler shutters: OPEN.
  16. Carburetor air control lever: "COLD".
  17. Mixture controls: Set to IDLE CUT-OFF.
  18. Propeller governor control levers: Full forward to "INCREASE RPM".
  19. Propeller toggle switches: "AUTO CONSTANT SPEED".
  20. Propeller feather switches: "NORMAL".
  21. Cowl flap lever: Move to OPEN then NEUTRAL.
  22. Inverter selector switch: "ON".
  23. Fuel Gauges: Check all tank levels.
  24. Battery switch: "ON".
  25. Throttles: set to approximately 3/4 inch open.
  26. Ground Crew: Notified.
  27. Propellers: Clear.
  28. Fire Guard: In position.
  29. Master switch: "ON".

Left Engine Start:

  1. Ignition switch (left only): "Both" magnetos.
  2. Booster Pump (Left): "ON".
  3. Left engine primer: "ON" (for a few seconds).
  4. Energizer switch: Hold to "LEFT" position until inertia flywheel reaches max RPM.
  5. Primer switch: "ON" immediately prior to meshing the starter to engine.
  6. Starter: Engage by holding mesh switch to the "LEFT" position while pressing primer switch until engine starts, then release both switches.
  7. Mixture controls: "AUTO RICH" (when engine starts firing).
  8. Throttle: Set to maintain 800 RPM until oil pressure rises, then increase to 1000 RPM.

Right Engine Start:

  1. Start using same procedures as above.

After Start:

  1. Boost Pumps: "OFF"
  2. External power source: Disconnected from left nacelle.
  3. Hydraulic pressure: Check 800 to 1,050 PSI.
  4. Oil cooler shutters: As required.
  5. Carburetor air control levers: "COLD" position.
  6. Radios: Set.
  7. Control Tower: Contact for taxi clearance and altimeter setting.

TAXI

  1. Taxi to active runway.
  2. Check brakes.
  3. Check for nose wheel shimmy.

BEFORE TAKEOFF:

  1. Position aircraft into the wind short of runway.
  2. Throttles: Set to 1,700 RPM.
  3. Propeller levers: Pull back and observe RPM dropoff, then set back to 1,700 RPM.
  4. Propeller toggle switches: Check proper function in each setting ("DECREASE RPM", "FIXED PITCH", "INCREASE RPM", then "CONSTANT SPEED RPM").
  5. Throttles: Set to 2,100 RPM.
  6. Propeller toggle switches: Set to "FIXED PITCH".
  7. Left Magneto switch: Move to "LEFT" then to "BOTH", then "RIGHT" then "BOTH. RPM drop should be no more than 75.
  8. Propeller toggle switches: Set to "CONSTANT SPEED RPM".
  9. Right Magneto switch: Move to "LEFT" then to "BOTH", then "RIGHT" then "BOTH. RPM drop should be no more than 75.
  10. Throttles: Reduce to 1,000 RPM.
  11. Left throttle: Advance to 2,700 RPM. Check gauges in the green, then reduce back to 1,000 RPM.
  12. Right throttle: Advance to 2,700 RPM. Check gauges in the green, then reduce back to 1,000 RPM.
  13. Feathering switches: Check proper operation.
  14. Flaps: Extend to "1/4" position.
  15. Booster pumps: "ON".
  16. Landing gear lever safety lock: Remove.
  17. Elevator trim: Set to 5 degrees nose up.
  18. Control Tower: Contact for takeoff clearance.

TAKEOFF:

  1. Position aircraft on the runway.
  2. Brakes: Release.
  3. Throttles: Set to 52 inches manifold pressure and 2,700 RPM.
  4. Maintain directional control with coordinated brakes then rudder control.
  5. Rotate slightly at 80 MPH and hold attitude until liftoff.
  6. Landing gear: Raise when safe to obtain 140 MPH as soon as possible.
  7. Flaps: Retract at 500 feet and 170 MPH.
  8. Cowl flaps: Set as required to maintain desired cylinder head temperature.
  9. Climb to desired altitude at 170 MPH using 37 inches manifold pressure and 2300 RPM.

CRUISE

  1. Fuel Boost pumps: "Off" (upon reaching cruising altitude).
  2. Throttles: Set to 30 inches manifold pressure and 2,000 RPM.
  3. Mixture controls: Set to "AUTO-LEAN" (above 5000 feet).
  4. Crew checks: Complete.
  5. Gun checks: Completed when appropriate.

LANDING:

  1. Center of gravity: Check with Load Adjuster as appropriate.
  2. Crew: Notifed to prepare for landing.
  3. Control Tower: Contact to advise inbound and receive airfield information.
  4. Altimeter: Set to station pressure.
  5. Blowers: "LOW" and safety cover in place.
  6. Oil cooler shutters: Adjust to maintain proper oil temperature.
  7. Carburetor air control levers: "COLD".
  8. Mixture controls: Set to "AUTO RICH" (below 5000 feet).
  9. Propeller toggle switches: "AUTO CONSTANT SPEED".
  10. Propeller levers: Set to 2,250 RPM
  11. Fuel boost pumps: "ON"
  12. Airspeed: 165 MPH on downwind leg.
  13. Landing gear handle: Lower. Check gear down and locked with green lights.
  14. Turn final approach at 165 MPH.
  15. Flaps: Extend while reducing speed to 150 MPH.
  16. Establish proper rate of descent to runway.
  17. Flare smoothly, reduce power while pulling nose up gradually to touchdown on main wheels.
  18. Lower nosewheel to runway as speed bleeds off.

AFTER LANDING:

  1. Flaps: Retract.
  2. Cowl flaps: "OPEN".
  3. Landing gear safety lock: Attach.
  4. Fuel boost pumps: "OFF".
  5. Propeller levers: Full forward.
  6. Taxi to parking.