Preflight Action and Safety Belts

Preflight action is a legal duty, not just good practice. Before a flight the pilot in command must become familiar with all available information concerning that flight. For a flight not in the vicinity of an airport, that specifically includes weather reports and forecasts, the fuel required, alternatives if the flight cannot be completed as planned, and any known traffic delays. For any flight it includes runway lengths at the airports of intended use and the aircraft’s takeoff and landing distance data. The other half of protecting a flight is the safety belt rule. Before takeoff the PIC must ensure each occupant is briefed on how to fasten and unfasten their safety belt and shoulder harness, and each person must be in an approved seat with the belt fastened during surface movement, takeoff, and landing. Both rules focus the pilot on the phases and information that most often determine whether a flight ends safely.