The Kansas City hail storm that rewired my inspection checklist

Back in 2017 I was doing an annual on a Cessna 172 when a surprise hailstorm ripped through the hangar row, and the dents on that skin taught me more than any manual ever did. Now I always check the upper wing surfaces in direct sunlight before anything else, even on planes that supposedly sat inside. Has anyone else had a weather event at their shop ruin a 'routine' job and shift their whole routine?

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sean_park828d ago

You ever get a bird strike that takes out a wingtip and you find a nest in the wheel well a week later? We had a turkey vulture hit a rental 152 last fall, and while I was fixing the leading edge I popped the inspection plate and there was a whole pile of twigs and a half eaten mouse in there. Now I check every cavity on any plane that's been sitting more than a day, not for dents but for stowaways. That storm did you a solid, you probably find stuff on the top surfaces you never looked at before.