Rental Planes

I don't own a plane.  Don't have the money, time, nor the patience.  I'm a renter, instead, frequenting flight schools and FBOs that offer their battle-scarred rental planes to those who 'prove' themselves worthy.  Any routine renter can attest to the little quirks that come with renting.  A typical day at the airport renting a plane for me goes like this.

I arrive with the ritualistic greetings to any one of the number of desk people at the flight school.  Niceties exchanged, I'm handed the 'plane bag' for the N number I'm taking.  The plane bag contains the POH, keys and the all-mighty fuel card.  I make my way through the hangar, taking a slight tour of an exposed engine, and out to where my winged steed awaits.

I don't trust the plane.  Not at all.  It's been out of my care for a good week during which it was subjected to the punishment of zero-time students.  A 'walk-up check' proves the wings and empennage are still there.  A good thorough preflight reveals nothing wrong externally: flaps still flap, elevator still elevates and there's no wrinkles or dents in the skin.  Oil's right, fuel looks good (a rareity), and the normally bald flat-sided tires look to be freshly changed.  Let's crank 'er up and wait for a piston to shoot through the cowling.

Brakes, throttle 1/4" in,  fuel pump on -- 5gal fuel flow, pump off, ignition switch -- mixture knob in and she fires on the first try and very near idle; something I pride myself in.  Avionics switch on, and I soon find a problem.  Comm 2's digital display is dead.  No doubt a result of someone starting and killing the engine with the avionics switch on.  I snatch a pen and post-it pad from the side pocket and mark it 'inop'.  I reach down to disengage the parking brake and feel no handle; 'tis gone and nowhere to be found.  Good thing I hold the brakes with my toes anyway.

It's not that the plane's owner doesn't keep the plane maintained, in fact, they do an excellent job.  It's just hard to keep up when so many people, mostly students, fly the plane day after day.  To add to it, some of those people either haven't been taught proper procedures (avionics off before you start or stop the engine) or they don't really care.  Other than the small blemishes, my old friend is ready to go.  Engine's good and strong, airframe is sturdy and I'm itching just as bad as she is to jump in the air.  All part of renting, I guess.