HOW I FLY THE CATALINA by Capt. Rob Finn

The following figures are to be taken as a guide only.

The aircraft was flown to a cruise altitude of 5,000 ft AMSL, Nil wind conditions and with full fuel tanks.

INITIAL COCKPIT PREARATION

Control Column                   Hide (shift 2)

Master switches                  Both ON

Fuel ALL

Nav Lights                           ON

Strobe Lights                       ON

Seat Belts/ No Smoking       ON

Altimeter                             Set to local QNH

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ENGINE START

Engine # 2

Throttle                                 CLOSED

Props                                    UP

Mixture                                 RICH

Magnetos                              BOTH 

Start Switch                          Click ON and HOLD till engine established.

***Please note that all the above has to be carried out in a reasonable time to prevent the aircraft batteries 

from running flat.

Engine # 1

Repeat the start sequence as per engine #2 

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PRE TAXI

Radios                               ON

Navs                                  As Required

DME                                  ON

Control Surfaces                Free and Correct

Landing Lights                    ON

Gear Down/ Floats up         CHECK    {Land}

Floats Down/ Gear Up        CHECK    {Water} 

Brakes                              OFF

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PRE TAKE_OFF

Run-up at the holding point or run-up bay

Position the aircraft INTO wind as closely as possible.

Brakes                               PARK

Run-up engine # 2

Throttle                               2600 RPM

Magneto Check                  Both - R/H - Both - L/H - Both

Throttle                              Return to Ground Idle

*** The Bluegrass Catalina does not appear to have RPM drop during magneto checks. The maximum RPM drop during magneto checks should not exceed 150 RPM 

Engine #1 Mag Checks      Repeat the above.

Engine # 2 Prop Checks

Throttle                              2600 RPM

Prop Pitch                          Full cycle twice {Note the RPM drop, this is normal}

Throttle                              Return to ground idle

Engine #1 Prop Checks      Repeat the above

Elevator Trim                       2 DEGREES NOSE UP

Nav instruments                   Aligned

Auto Pilot                            Armed

Run-up Check                     Completed

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TAKE_OFF and CLIMB

Brakes                                OFF

Throttle                                Increase to MAP reading of 35 inches

V1                                       60 kts

Vr                                        85 kts

V2                                       95 kts

Establish initial climb

Gear/ Floats                      UP

Climb to 300ft @ 700 FPM

At 300ft reduce MAP to 27 inches

Re- establish climb rate to 500ft/ minute

At 1000ft reduce RPM to 2300

Auto Pilot                          As Required

Mixture                            Adjust as required during climb

Nav Instruments                Align

Seat belts/No Smoking      OFF

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CRUISE @ 5000 FT

Engine settings                Adjust as required

                                          Your airspeed should be around 110 kts with a ground speed of around117 kts.

Landing Lights                  OFF

Nav instruments                SET

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DESCENT

Rate                                  500ft / minute

MAP                                 25 inches

Trim                                  Neutral

Airspeed                           120 kts

Seat belts/No Smoking    ON

Landing Lights                  ON

Maintain descent rates and speeds as required.

At 10 miles from touch down

Gear/ Floats                     DOWN

Mixture/ Props                  UP, Re-Adjust engine RPM

Aim for Airspeed of 105 kts @ 6 miles final

Aim for Airspeed of 100 kts over the fence

Aim for Airspeed of 90 kts @ flare, radio altimeter 10 ft , power OFF and let the aircraft touch-down.

AFTER LANDING

Let the aircraft decelerate to 60 kts {No Braking}

After 60 kts light braking only to taxi speed, then taxi to the gate.

SHUT DOWN

Park Brake                       SET

Auto Pilot                         OFF

Radios/ Nav                      OFF

Engines                            Shut Down...........Mixtures to Full Lean

Seat Belts                        OFF

Nav Lights                        OFF

Master Switches               OFF  

Fuel OFF