TABLE OF CONTENTS: OPERATION SECTION Preflight, Walk-Around Inspection Safety Precautions Before Starting Starting ‘Warm-up Taxi Before Take-Off Take-Off (Normal) ‘Take-Off (Full Hopper Load and Short Strip) Cruise Agricultural Flying Survey of field Entering field ‘Swath (Spraying) Pull-Ups Turns Approach and Landing (Normal) Landing (Cross-Wind) Stopping the Engine Loading the AT-301 Page No. NNNN Oc eeDHDHFHHOeR RR OHDHAAlr Tractor, Ine Operations Page 1 PREFLIGHT, WALK-AROUND INSPECTION ‘Visual inspection of the exterior of your Air Tractor should become an important routine procedure. A. ‘suggested path would be to start at the baggage door location and walk clockwise around the aircraft. The following items should be checked: 1. See that the baggage door is closed and fastened. 2. Check boom and fittings for leaks. ‘Check mounting brackets. 3. Lift up on trailing edge of flap to see that it is secure. 4. Move left-hand aileron briskly up & down to check for looseness of hinges. Check for security of counterweight. 5. Inspect tip & leading edge for damage. 6. Inspect fuel vent tube. 7. Lift cover from pitot tube and inspect. 8. Remove left-hand fuel cap and visually check fuel level. 9. Drain left wing fuel sump, drain header tank sump, drain wobble pump & fuel valve sumps. 10. Check spray plumbing and valve for leaks or loose connections. 11. Inspect left-hand gear leg connection at fuselag 12. Inspect prop blades for nicks or cracks. 13. Inspect governor for security of controls and oll leaks around base. 14. Check cowling for security or any unfastened Camlocs. 15. Inspect cylinders for leaks around head and barrel connection. 16. Inspect exhaust manifold for cracks for chafing on heat muff. 17. Inspect right-hand gear leg at fuselage connection. Inspect right-hand wheel and brake and check tire inflation. 18. Remove right-hand fuel cap and visually check fuel level. 19. Drain right-hand wing fuel sump. 20. Inspect right-wing leading edge and tip for damage. 21. Inspect right-hand wing tank vent. 22, Inspect right-hand aileron same as left hand. 23. 24, 25. 26. Check right-hand boom for leaks and security. Check right-hand flap by lifting up on trailing edge. Inspect fuselage skins for any unfastened Camlocs. Inspect right-hand stabilizer and struts. Test for security by lifting up on stabilizer leading edge. 27. Check forward end of tail spring for security. 28. Ingpect right-hand elevator and move up and down to check security. 29. Check right-hand and left-hand elevator trim tabs for security and check linkage. 30. Inspect rudder on both sides and move from stop to stop to check security and cable attachment. 31. Inspect tail spring attachment to fuselage. Inspect tail wheel fork housing and attachment to spring. Check for proper tall whee! inflation. Check for broken centering springs.Operations Page 2 Alr Tractor, Inc. Check tail whee! lock by lifting plunger by hand. 32. Check left-hand elevator by moving up and down to test for security. 33. Inspect left-hand stabilizer and strut and check for security by lifting up on stabilizer leading edge. Inspect for loose skins or unfastened Camiocs on left-hand side of aircraft. Open hopper lid, check inside hopper and check lid gasket. Close hopper lid and secure latch. 36. Open oil tank access door and check oil level. Must be at least 5 gal. 37. Make sure switch is off, throttle and mixture levers full back, parking brake is on. Then pull prop through by hand several revolutions to be sure all oil that may have collected in lower cylinders is removed. Use caution while pulling the prop through. 38. Be'sure tie-down ropes have been untied and wheel chocks removed. 39. Check ground under propeller for loose rocks or material that could damage propeller blades when starting ‘Check behind aircraft to see that path is clear. ge SAFETY PRECAUTIONS BEFORE STARTING Test toe brakes and set parking brake. Fasten seat belt and harness. Set altimeter. Check rudder pedal position for a comfortable setting. Position trim lever in green arc. Moveall flight controls through the normal operating range and check for unusual noises. Turn on master switch. Check fuel quantity in each tank on fuel receiver. 8. Actuate flaps to full range of travel. With flaps in fully lowered position the flap markings should align perfectly with wing trailing edge. If flap down travel has exceeded this mark do not fly the aircraft as the flap actuator down micro-switch could be malfunctioning. During flap cycle listen for any unusual rubbing noises. 9. Check voltage on voltmeter. Turn off master switch and close right-hand canopy door. STARTING Before the engine is started, the propeller should be pulled through by hand at least 2 revolutions with the ignition switch off and the throttle and mixture levers full back, to prevent oil in the lower cylinders from causing a hydraulic lock. Use caution when pulling prop through. 1. Turn fuel valve to ON position. Place mixture control in the FULL RICH position (full forward). Place the propeller control in LOW RPM (full aft). This prevents momentary loss of oil pressure in filling propeller cylinder. 3. Place carburetor heat in OFF position. 4. Set the brakes.Air Tractor, Inc. Operations Page 3 5. When the engine is cold, prime six to eight quick strokes while stroking the wobble pump with the left hand. This is required to fill the primer. 6. Move throttle through full range of travel and back once or twice while stroking wobble pump. Then position throttle about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from aft stop. 7. Turn battery switch and alternator switch to ON 8. Shout “CLEAR PROP" and wait for answer if anyone Is present. 9. Place left hand on throttle lever and with right hand turn ignition switch to START. As soon as engine starts, turn switch back to BOTH. 10. Position throttle to provide about 600 RPM and monitor oil pressure and fuel pressure. Oil Pressure should not exceed 100 psi and if engine is cold, reduce RPM as required to keep oil Pressure down. Fuel pressure should be 3 to 6 psi. If no oil pressure is observed within 15 ‘seconds stop engine. 11. After starting move prop lever to full forward position. 12. If engine does not start immediately, do not keep starter engaged for more than 20 seconds at a time. Allow at least 3 minutes between starts. If engine has been overprimed, open throttle completely and when engine starts, retard throttle rapidly to idle position. If priming has not been sufficient, repeat starting procedure. 13. If battery is dead a 24 volt battery cart should be used with heavy duty jumper cables attached to the correct battery terminals. After starting, leave the jumper cables attached long enough for the battery to receive sufficient charge to close the solenoid on the battery plate. 14. If battery is dead and no battery cart if available, the engine can be started by hand swinging the propeller rapidly, providing the person is experienced with this method. If hand swinging the propeller, the propeller should be pulled through with practice swings several revolutions with the switch OFF. When ‘‘Contact”” has been called by the person doing the swinging, and answered by the pilot, the pilot turns the ignition switch to BOTH and the prop is pulled through rapidly, using extreme care to stay clear of the propeller arc. If the prop stops in a position that Is not desirable for another attempt at swinging, the person doing the swinging should call “OFF,"" and only when answered by the pilot after turning the ignition switch to OFF, should the prop be touched again. WARM UP ‘The warm-up period is especially critical for the F1340 as the blower turns ten times the crankshaft speed and the blower bearings will not be properly lubricated if engine RPM is increased before the oil has a chance to warm up and reach a viscosity that will allow it to reach the close fit of the blower bearings. 1. Allow engine to idle at 600 RPM or less for at least one full minute, and until oil pressure is no more than 100 psi. 2. If oll pressure will stay below 100 psi, advance throttle to 700 RPM and run for one or more minutes, depending on OAT. 3. Continue warm-up by advancing throttle in small stages up to 900 RPM, keeping oil pressure below 100 psi. 4. When oll temperature has reached 40°C (start of green arc) and pressure is 100 psi or less, you are ready to taxi.Operations Page 4 Air Tractor, Inc. TAXI Whenever possible leave the tail wheel locked during taxi as this will minimize the need for brakes. Small changes in direction can be made with the use of rudder and power. For sharp turns on the ground unlock the tail wheel by pushing the stick full forward and use a little brake along with power. Since the brake forces on the AT-01 are light and effective be careful not to ride the brakes during taxi since this will overheat the brake disc and cause excessive wear. BEFORE TAKE-OFF 1. Recheck free and correct movement of flight controls. 2. If spray equipment is installed, fan brake control should be in ‘ON’ position. 3. Re-check engine instruments and fuel quantity gauge. 4, Check trim lever for proper position. With empty aircraft trim lever should be in the green band. With a full hopper load, the trim lever should be slightly aft of the green band. Close canopy door and check latches. Be sure aircraft is positioned on a spot that is clear of small rocks that will damage propeller. If ‘such a spot is not available, do not advance power above 1400 RPM and check mags in the air after take-off rather than before. You can always circle back and land if one mag is out. 7. Check mags by advancing throttle until manifold pressure is equal to field barometric pressure. Normal mag drop is 50 to 70 RPM and should not exceed 100 RPM. 8. At 1900 RPM move the propeller control to High Pitch (Low RPM). A substantial drop in RPM. indicates satisfactory governor operation. Return prop control to full fwd. position (High RPM). 9. Check the carburetor heat at 1900 RPM. A noticeable momentary drop in RPM with heat full on indicates satisfactory operation. 10. If the engine accelerates smoothly and the oll pressure remains steady between 70 and 90 psi and the oil temperature is at least 40°C, the engine is warm enough for take-off. oo TAKE-OFF [NORMAL] Taxi forward with stick back until tail wheel lock pin is felt to engage. Flap should be in retracted position, mixture FULL RICH, prop HIGH RPM. ‘With brakes set and stick full back advance throttle to approximately 1400 RPM. Release brakes and as aircraft moves forward gradually advance throttle to provide a smooth and continuous acceleration of the engine. 5. Allow the tail to come up and make a conventional take-off. As throttle is advanced make sure manifold and RPM limits are not exceeded (36 inches and 2250 RPM for 5 minutes). 6. Best rate of climb speed for empty AT-301 Is between 85 and 90 mph. For a heavy load best rate of climb speed is between 95 and 100 mph. 7. Adjust trim lever for climb and set power at max. continuous rating (2200 RPM, 34.0" ‘manifold pressure) or less If desired. For an empty AT-301, a good climb setting Is 2100 RPM ‘and 30 inches M.P.Air Tractor, Ine. Operations Page 5 ‘TAKE-OFF [FULL HOPPER LOAD AND SHORT STRIP] Use same procedure as for normal take-off except as follows: 1. Lower flaps to 10° position (first mark). 2. With a full hopper load apply full power before the brakes are released. 3. After breaking ground do not retract the flaps until at least 100 mph is reached. CRUISE ‘Any amount of power up to maximum continuous ratings may be used for cruise. However, avoid low RPM and high manifold pressure settings. For an empty AT-301 with the pump removed for long ferry flights, an economy cruise setting of 1900 RPM and 23.0 inches will provide an indicated airspeed of approximately 122 mph at 8,000 ft. Fuel consumption at this setting is approximately 28 gallons per hour. Other power settings that would be acceptable are as follows: RPM Manifold Pressure Indicated Airspeed Altitude 1900 24.0 inches 126 mph 8,000 ft. 1900 25.0 inches 129mph 8,000 ft. 2000 26.0 inches 135 mph 8,000 ft, With the spray pump installed, a reduction in airspeed of approximately 4 mph will be noted. Lower altitudes will also show a lower indicated airspeed for a given power setting. ‘The 1340 engine on the AT-301 can be leaned at any altitude without detrimental effects due to the lack of a tightly enclosed cowling. Leaning will usually improve engine performance and is recommended except when take-off power is used. AGRICULTURAL FLYING Since agricultural flying is extremely varied, it is not practical to recommend operating Procedures which in many cases would not fit a particular operation. However the procedures ‘outlined in this section are general and may be followed if they apply. Survey of field: 1. Before entering the field to be treated, fly around the entire perimeter at least once to firmly establish the location of wires, standpipes, or other obstacles. 2. Determine direction field will be flown and check position of flagmen If used. ‘Check surrounding area on downwind side for possible drift damage. 4. Make note of houses or areas to avoid during turns.Operations Page 6 Air Tractor, Ine. Entering Field: 1. If practical, make first pass into the wind so that two passes will be made before the first downwind turn is required. Avoid making first pass into the sun, however. 2. If obstructions border the field reduce speed slightly and make a high approach. When obstruction is near enough, nose down smoothly to angle which will clear obstruction and apply power to prevent high-speed stall on roundout. Avoid flying just above obstruction height and abruptly pitching over. ‘Swath [Spraying]: 1. For a full load on a hot day set prop at 2150 RPM and manifold pressure at 30" or less, depending on how well the aircraft is performing. 2. Spray runs may be made at 130 to 135 mph when the aircraft is heavy, which will provide good penetration as well as adequate speed for pull-ups and turns. 3. As load diminishes, reduce RPM by 50 RPM increments so that as hopper nears empty, RPM is 2,000. From 2,000 to 2150 RPM is the smoothest setting for the AT-01 due to the engine mount design and engine vibration characteristics and therefore this should be the normal working range. 4, Reduce manifold pressure as load diminishes to avoid excessive speed over the crop, which reduces penetration. Spray speeds of 120 to 125 mph are normal as the hopper nears empty. 5. The operator should select a speed which feels comfortable and best fits his particular operation. In gusty air always use 5 to 10 mph more speed Pull-Ups 1. Prior to pull-up apply additional power smoothly. 2. Abrupt pull-ups should be avoided since excessive speed is lost which reduces turn performance. 3. When making pull-ups over wires avoid starting bank too soon. Turns: 1. The previous training and experience will influence the operator flying the AT-301. All conventional types of turns may be performed in the AT-301. 2. Flaps may be used as a turning ald providing small deflections are used (6 to 8 degrees). The usual method of using flaps Is to make the pull-up and initial bank with flaps retracted. As the aircraft Is being banked to turn back Into the fleld touch the flap switch briefly and let off a little back pressure on the stick, as the flaps cause a slight pitch up tendency. Continue the turn, and ‘as you line up for your pass, retract the flap 3, Make co-ordinated turns. Use the slip indicator as a means of determining whether or not you are carrying bottom rudder. The AT-301 has excellent stall characteristics and if stalled during a co-orldinated turn It is only necessary to relax some back pressure on the stick to make recovery, and little altitude is lost.Air Tractor, Inc. Operations Page 7 APPROACH AND LANDING [NORMAL] 1 2. o 4 Set mixture control FULL RICH Reduce power slightly and move prop control full forward (High RPM). Pull Carb. heat control full on if icing conditions exist. Close throttle and establish glide at 85-90 mph (flaps up) or 75-80 mph (flaps down). These figures for empty aircraft. The engine should be cleared occassionally by opening throttle. During landing roll, steer the aircraft with rudder. Brakes are for stopping or turning off the runway. Avoid heavy braking. The AT-301 is a slow landing aircraft and it is poor pilot technique to land so close to your loading rig that heavy braking is required. LANDING [CROSS-WIND] 1. Establish proper crab angle to line up with runway. 2, Leave flaps retracted unless strip is very short and cross-wind does not exceed 15 mph. 3. During final stages of flare-out apply necessary rudder to straighten aircraft with runway. In strong crosswinds, it will be necessary to lower the up-wind wing. 4. Touch down should be in tail-low attitude and on up-wind wheel. Allow downwind wheel to touch, then tail wheel. 5. Remain alert during roll-out. Steer with rudder and use brakes only if necessary. ‘STOPPING THE ENGINE: 1. Idle for at least one minute to cool engine. 2, Run up engine to 1500 RPM and shift propeller into high pitch (Low RPM) and reduce speed to idle. 3. Move mixture contro! to FULL LEAN position and when engine cuts, move throttle forward slowly. 4. Continue opening the throttle slowly after the engine starts to cut. When engine stops, turn off ignition switch, battery switch, alternator switch. 5. Set brakes and control lock. LOADING THE AT-301: Under the provisions of CAMB.10-4 (b) "'Maximum capacities should be selected by the applicant and demonstrated in the flight check in accordance with section 8.10-3 (e). (1.) These maximum capacities for hoppers or tanks should be listed on placards on or adjacent to the appropriate filler covers. ”*