Enstrom 280C/Normal Procedures

1 PREFLIGHT

A thorough pre-flight inspection is essential to the safe conduct of your flight. The following procedures are recommended:

1. Inspect bubble for cracks
2. Inspect landing lights
3. Inspect pitot tube for blockage
4. Inspect antenna for security
5. Inspect right skids and struts. Ensure shocks not over compressed
6. Open right engine cowling
7. Check all belts, fuel, exhaust lines and air filter.
8. Close right engine cowling
9. Open fuel drain port panel, and drain fuel from sump
10. Drain fuel from gascolator with valve under the right engine panel
11. Open baggage door and inspection panel inside baggage compartment. Check main rotor transmission sight gauge for transmission fluid level. If fluid level is low, top of transmission fluid level.
12. Close inspection and baggage door.
13. Inspect main rotor blades including inner and outer blades. Check all control linkages.
14. Inspect tail rotor drive shaft
15. Inspect right side fuselage
16. Check horizontal stabilizer for security
17. Check tail rotor gearboxes for security
18. Check tail rotor transmission fluid sight gauge. Top off tail rotor fluid level if low.
19. Check tail rotor for security and damage
20. Inspect left-side fuselage
21. Open transmission belt inspection panel and check condition of transmission belt. Close panel.
22. Open oil level inspection panel and check engine oil level. Close panel.
23. Open left engine cowling
24. Check all belts, fuel, exhaust lines and turbocharger.
25. Close left engine cowling
26. Check fuel level.
27. Inspect left-side skids and struts. Ensure shocks not over compressed.

2 STARTING

Use the following procedure for normal starts:

1. Cyclic, anti-torque pedals neutral. Collective full down.
2. Throttle to idle
3. Master, Alternator, Boost, Anti-Collision, Ignition switches all on
4. Slightly raise collective to verify low rpm horn and panel light activate, then lower collective again.
5. Throttle full and Mixture full rich for 4-5 sec., then back to mixture lean and throttle idle. This primes the engine, but priming too long will flood the engine and make it more difficult to start.
6. Verify clutch is disengaged (not resting on floor)
7. Magnetos (Mags) to Both
8. If using HUD, verify battery charge at least 9 volts.
9. Press and hold starter until engine catches. (Note: starter will not engage if throttle is over 15%).
10. When engine catches, immediately increase mixture to full rich. You must do this quickly, or the engine will stall. If you are too slow and engine stops, restart at Step 5.
11. Carefully increase throttle to 1500 RPM (will only require very small increase)
12. Verify oil pressure at least 25 psi within 30 seconds of start. Shut down and investigate if oil pressure does not come up.
13. Very slowly engage clutch. Engine RPM will momentarily drop as rotor comes up to speed. Do not let engine RPM go below 900 RPM as you are engaging (stop clutch movement and wait for rotor to speed up if necessary). Pulling clutch too quickly can result in stalling engine.
14. When cylinder head temp is above 200F, increase to 2300 RPM.
15. When cylinder head temp is above 80F, increase to 2900 RPM.
16. Briefly chop throttle and verify needle split, then throttle back to 2900.
17. Governor On

Note:

• If a start fails, restart at Step 5
• Priming too long (in Step 5) can flood the engine making starts difficult.