Wiping down your bird’s belly after each flight might be a little extreme, but a few moments spent on other items can help save you time and money for the next one.

By Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

You’ve just completed the perfect flight, followed by a great landing—you’ll be able to use the airplane again—and the bird is secure in its hangar. All is well. Or is it?

What about that intermittent vibration you imagined? And, was the oil pressure needle sitting a little lower than normal, while the oil temp gauge registered high? Did the airplane use the same amount of fuel as predicted by the manual and confirmed by the instrumentation? Is there any paperwork necessary after the flight? …