Other Considerations

The beacon on the top of the tail should always be on when the airplane is in operation. There is a switch on the instrument panel but I never turn it off so the beacon comes on when I turn on the master switch. A little aluminum shield in front of it so it doesn't a flash of red inside the cockpit, but it can be seen flashing by looking out the back window. And the tail light for that matter. It's not a big deal if a night flight is not planned but plans have a habit of becoming changed. Here is photo of the lights on the tail.

Then there are the landing lights. These have a tendency to go out and they are sure are nice to turn on while in the pattern to aid in your visibility. Here is a photo of them on the left wing.

And how about the running lights. Caught in the dark without these would be bad news. The one on the right wing of the plane is green while the one on the left wing is red.

I guess I could go on and on. There are cables under the seats that are hard to get at to check but they go up under the instrument panel and they can be looked at rather easily to see if something is out of line.

An flight instructor I know likes to step back and just look at the overall plane to think about it for a second.

Another preflight item that should not be overlooked is the pilot. Is the pilot in good condition to fly the airplane. Any physical conditions like a head cold, stomach, problems, or just feeling bad? And mental. A disagreement with the spouse or a business associate or financial problems could take your mind away from flying. There any number of things that should signal a pilot not to fly. Although maybe not a preflight item but how about the passenger? I've taken up some people that I afterward have thought about their health. A little planning in that area might be wise.

And of course there is the weather. That's a subject in it's own right and is subject to not only aircraft capabilities and pilot skills but also pilot ratings and forecasts.