Pilots start own planes?

[Boz0]

MicroSculpt,

You are correct, this is not a typical German practice but the standard procedure before the first flight of the day for the WW1 inline or Vee type engines,German, French or British.

To check the oil level the engine thus the airplane must be level. It is also of upmost importance to clear the cooling circuit from all the air pockets that could create a malfunction or even dammage the system or the radiator itself.

This is a little more complicated to explain, but to make it short, the little tap used to clear the circuit ( SE, SPAD etc...) is situated on top of the carburator and the engine must be level in order for this tap to be the highest point of the circuit before the radiator ( hope this is clear enough.... ) We did not made up this procedure, everything is in different technical manuals ... Just read and apply.

And believe it or not, it works !

Regards
Alain

[MicroSculpt]

Thanks Alaine!

So generally speaking, by the time that the aicraft were rolled out to the flight line, the systems were checked and the engine "warmed up". The pilots could then just climb aboard and take off?

Tom

BTW, absolutely fantastic site. Please keep up the excellent work.

[MicroSculpt]

Oops, I meant Alain. Sorry.

tom

[Boz0]

Hello Tom,

You are correct, this procedure was done by the mecanics
before the pilot would get to his plane, the aircraft were then moved
to the take off position and the engines were started either by the mecanics
and the pilots would strap in or by the pilots themselves, depending on current
procedures.

Regards

Alain

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Gentlemen:
The only time I have seen British aircraft with the fuselage supported on a tressell, was when they were sighting in the machine guns.
Blue skies,
Dan-San