# Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow — Normal Operating Procedures (independently worded)

> **NOT FOR FLIGHT** — source fidelity: not_applicable | operational review: none | completeness: normal_only | 1 unresolved safety defect(s)

Normal procedure checklist for the Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow, a low-wing complex single with a fuel-injected Lycoming IO-360, constant-speed propeller, and hydraulically actuated retractable tricycle gear. The Arrow's automatic gear extension system will lower the gear if airspeed drops below a threshold — be aware of this during slow flight and approach. The gear-unsafe horn sounds when the throttle is retarded with gear not down-and-locked. No airspeeds, power settings, fuel quantities, or other numerical limitations are stated — all such values must come from the specific aircraft POH. Verify every item against the actual aircraft before flight.

> **safety_defect**: Contains no airspeeds, power settings, fuel quantities or other limitations — must come from aircraft POH.
> **content_gap**: Equipment variations exist across this model/variant. Verify items against the specific aircraft before use.

## Preflight Walk-Around

- [ ] Aircraft documents (ARROW) — **ON BOARD AND CURRENT**
- [ ] Fuel quantity — visually inspect both tanks; verify adequate fuel for flight with legal reserves — **CONFIRMED, ADEQUATE**
- [ ] Fuel grade and appearance — sample from all sump drains — **CORRECT GRADE PER POH; CLEAR, NO WATER OR SEDIMENT**
- [ ] Fuel filler caps — both tanks — **PROPERLY SEATED AND SECURED AFTER SAMPLING**
- [ ] Fuel vent lines — **UNOBSTRUCTED**
- [ ] Engine oil level — **WITHIN OPERATING RANGE PER POH; DIPSTICK SECURE**
- [ ] Engine compartment — fuel lines, oil hoses, wiring — **NO LEAKS; ALL CONNECTIONS SECURE**
- [ ] Induction air inlet — **CLEAR AND UNOBSTRUCTED**
  <sub>IO-360 is fuel-injected — no carburetor heat. Alternate air control bypasses the induction filter.</sub>
- [ ] Exhaust stacks — visible portions — **NO CRACKS OR LOOSE HARDWARE**
- [ ] Cowling latches — **CLOSED AND SECURE**
- [ ] Propeller blades — nicks, cracks, erosion — **SERVICEABLE**
- [ ] Spinner and prop hub — **SECURE; NO CRACKS**
- [ ] Nose gear — strut, tire, and steering linkage — **STRUT EXTENDED NORMALLY; TIRE INFLATED; LINKAGE INTACT; GEAR DOOR CLEAR**
- [ ] Pitot tube — cover removed, inlet unobstructed — **COVER OFF; CLEAR**
- [ ] Static ports — **CLEAR**
- [ ] Left main gear — strut, tire, brake, gear door, hydraulic lines — **STRUT NORMAL; TIRE INFLATED; BRAKE PAD VISIBLE; HYDRAULIC LINES UNDAMAGED; UPLOCK MECHANISM CLEAR**
- [ ] Left wing leading edge and fuel vent — **NO DEFORMATION OR FUEL STAINING; VENT CLEAR**
- [ ] Left aileron and flap — travel and attachment — **HINGES SECURE; FULL FREE MOVEMENT; NO DAMAGE**
- [ ] Left wingtip and navigation light — **UNDAMAGED; LENS INTACT**
- [ ] Stall warning vane — left wing leading edge — **MOVES FREELY; ACTIVATES TONE WHEN LIFTED**
- [ ] Horizontal stabilizer, elevator, and trim tab — **UNDAMAGED; HINGES SECURE; NO EXCESSIVE PLAY**
- [ ] Vertical stabilizer and rudder — **UNDAMAGED; FULL FREE MOVEMENT**
- [ ] ELT — armed switch and antenna — **ARMED; ANTENNA CONNECTED**
- [ ] Right main gear — strut, tire, brake, gear door, hydraulic lines — **STRUT NORMAL; TIRE INFLATED; BRAKE PAD VISIBLE; HYDRAULIC LINES UNDAMAGED; UPLOCK MECHANISM CLEAR**
- [ ] Right wing — aileron, flap, wingtip, and navigation light — **SECURE; FULL FREE MOVEMENT; UNDAMAGED; LENS INTACT**
- [ ] All tiedowns, chocks, and control locks — **REMOVED**

## Cockpit Preparation / Before Start

- [ ] POH and weight-and-balance data — **ON BOARD**
- [ ] Seats — adjusted and locked; seatbelts and shoulder harnesses for all occupants — **ADJUSTED, LOCKED, AND FASTENED**
- [ ] Rudder pedals — **ADJUSTED FOR FULL RUDDER AND BRAKE TRAVEL**
- [ ] Control lock — **REMOVED; AILERON, ELEVATOR, AND RUDDER FREE AND CORRECT**
- [ ] Trim — elevator — **SET TO TAKEOFF POSITION PER POH**
- [ ] Avionics master switch — **OFF — before start to protect avionics from start transient**
- [ ] All non-essential electrical switches — **OFF**
- [ ] Circuit breakers — **ALL IN; CHECK FOR ANY TRIPPED**
- [ ] Fuel selector — **FULLEST TANK — DETENT CONFIRMED ENGAGED**
- [ ] Mixture — **RICH — FULL FORWARD**
- [ ] Propeller control — **FULL FORWARD — HIGH RPM**
- [ ] Throttle — **CRACKED PER POH STARTING GUIDANCE**
- [ ] Primer — use as required for engine temperature — **PUMPED PER POH; LOCKED AFTER USE**
- [ ] Gear handle position — **DOWN — GEAR-DOWN INDICATOR LIGHTS CONFIRMED**
- [ ] Parking brake — **SET**

## Engine Start

- [ ] Area around aircraft — announce CLEAR PROP — **CLEAR**
- [ ] Master switch (battery) — **ON**
- [ ] Beacon / anti-collision light — **ON — before cranking**
- [ ] Throttle — set per POH for start condition — **SET**
- [ ] Ignition switch — **START — crank until engine fires; release immediately**
- [ ] Throttle — after start — **REDUCE TO IDLE RPM PER POH**
- [ ] Oil pressure — **RISING WITHIN 30 SECONDS — if not, shut down immediately**
- [ ] Avionics master — **ON — after engine stabilized at idle**
- [ ] Engine instruments — **ALL IN GREEN; OIL TEMPERATURE RISING NORMALLY**
- [ ] Alternator / ammeter — **CHARGING — positive indication confirmed**

## After Start

- [ ] ATIS / weather information — **OBTAINED; ALTIMETER SETTING NOTED**
- [ ] Altimeter — **SET TO CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING; FIELD ELEVATION CROSS-CHECKED**
- [ ] Radios and navigation — departure frequencies — **LOADED AND SET**
- [ ] Transponder — **CODE SET; MODE SELECTED PER ATC REQUIREMENTS**
- [ ] Heading indicator — **ALIGNED WITH MAGNETIC COMPASS ON KNOWN HEADING**
- [ ] Gyroscopic instruments — suction gauge — **IN GREEN ARC**
- [ ] Gear indicator lights — **THREE GREEN — ALL GEAR DOWN-AND-LOCKED CONFIRMED**

## Run-Up / Before Takeoff

- [ ] Parking brake — **SET**
- [ ] Flight controls — free and correct for wind direction — **VERIFIED**
- [ ] Fuel selector — **FULLEST TANK — DETENT CONFIRMED**
- [ ] Mixture — adjust for field elevation — **SET PER POH**
- [ ] Propeller control — **FULL FORWARD**
- [ ] Engine warm-up — oil temperature — **IN GREEN ARC BEFORE RUN-UP**
- [ ] Throttle — advance to run-up RPM per POH — **SET**
- [ ] Magneto check — LEFT, then RIGHT, return to BOTH — **DROP ON EACH MAG WITHIN LIMITS PER POH; BOTH DROPS WITHIN DIFFERENTIAL LIMIT**
  <sub>Maximum single-magneto drop and maximum differential between magnetos per POH. Return selector to BOTH after check.</sub>
- [ ] Propeller cycle — move slowly to low RPM; note drop; advance back to full forward — **RPM DROP OBSERVED; RPM RETURNED TO FULL HIGH; REPEAT 2–3 TIMES; FINAL POSITION FULL FORWARD**
  <sub>Cycling warms governor oil and confirms constant-speed mechanism responds. Do not slam the control forward — cycle smoothly.</sub>
- [ ] Throttle — return to idle; confirm smooth idle — **IDLE SMOOTH; RPM WITHIN LIMITS**
- [ ] Suction gauge — **IN GREEN ARC**
- [ ] Engine instruments — **ALL IN GREEN; NO ANOMALIES**
- [ ] Heading indicator — aligned with compass — **SET**
- [ ] Altimeter — **SET TO CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING**
- [ ] Flaps — **SET TO TAKEOFF POSITION PER POH**
- [ ] Doors and windows — **LATCHED AND SECURED**
- [ ] Transponder — **ALT MODE**
- [ ] Takeoff briefing — abort criteria, initial climb airspeeds, departure route — **REVIEWED**

## Takeoff

- [ ] Runway clear — traffic and obstacles — **CONFIRMED CLEAR**
- [ ] Mixture — **SET PER POH FOR FIELD ELEVATION**
- [ ] Propeller control — **FULL FORWARD — HIGH RPM**
- [ ] Throttle — advance smoothly to full power; check engine instruments — **FULL POWER; INSTRUMENTS IN GREEN**
- [ ] Directional control during roll — **MAINTAINED WITH RUDDER**
- [ ] Rotate — at rotation airspeed per POH — **SMOOTH BACK PRESSURE APPLIED**
- [ ] Gear retraction — after positive rate of climb and no runway remaining for landing — **GEAR HANDLE UP; CONFIRM GEAR RETRACTS AND LIGHTS EXTINGUISH**

## Climb

- [ ] Airspeed — establish best-rate or cruise-climb speed — **ESTABLISHED PER POH**
- [ ] Engine instruments — oil pressure, oil temp, CHT — **WITHIN NORMAL RANGE**
- [ ] Power — throttle and RPM — **ADJUSTED PER POH CLIMB POWER SCHEDULE**
- [ ] Mixture — **LEANED PER POH IF ABOVE DENSITY ALTITUDE THRESHOLD; RICH OTHERWISE**
- [ ] Fuel selector — **APPROPRIATE TANK; MONITOR BALANCE**
- [ ] Gear indicator — **UP — NO GREEN LIGHTS; GEAR-UNSAFE HORN SILENT**
- [ ] Flaps — **RETRACTED PER POH SPEED SCHEDULE AFTER POSITIVE CLIMB ESTABLISHED**
- [ ] Heading and altitude — **ON ASSIGNED DEPARTURE CLEARANCE OR VFR COURSE**

## Cruise

- [ ] Power — throttle and propeller RPM — **SET TO CRUISE POWER PER POH**
  <sub>Set manifold pressure and RPM per POH power table for desired percent power and altitude.</sub>
- [ ] Mixture — lean to peak EGT then enrich per POH cruise guidance — **SET PER POH FOR SELECTED POWER SETTING**
- [ ] Trim — **ADJUSTED FOR HANDS-OFF LEVEL FLIGHT**
- [ ] Engine instruments — oil pressure, oil temp, CHT, EGT — **ALL WITHIN NORMAL RANGES; MONITORED CONTINUOUSLY**
- [ ] Fuel quantity — switch tanks per POH interval guidance — **MONITORED; TANKS BALANCED**
- [ ] Gear indicator — confirm UP — **NO GREEN LIGHTS ILLUMINATED**
- [ ] Altimeter and heading indicator — cross-check compass — **SET AND TRACKING**
- [ ] Traffic and airspace — see-and-avoid; altitude and clearance — **MAINTAINED**

## Descent

- [ ] ATIS / destination weather — **OBTAINED; RUNWAY AND APPROACH IN USE NOTED**
- [ ] Altimeter — update to destination setting — **SET TO CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING**
- [ ] Fuel selector — switch to fullest or appropriate tank for approach — **SELECTED; DETENT ENGAGED**
- [ ] Mixture — gradually enrichen as altitude decreases; rich by pattern altitude — **ENRICHENING WITH DESCENT**
- [ ] Power — reduce gradually to avoid shock cooling — **REDUCED IN INCREMENTS PER POH**
- [ ] Heading indicator — cross-check and re-align with compass if needed — **ALIGNED**
- [ ] Radios — approach and tower frequencies; ATC contact established — **SET AND ACTIVE**

## Before Landing

- [ ] Fuel selector — fullest tank; detent confirmed engaged — **FULLEST TANK SELECTED**
- [ ] Mixture — **RICH — FULL FORWARD FOR GO-AROUND CAPABILITY**
- [ ] Propeller control — **FULL FORWARD — HIGH RPM FOR GO-AROUND AVAILABILITY**
- [ ] Gear — place handle DOWN; confirm three green lights; gear-unsafe horn silent — **THREE GREEN — NOSE, LEFT MAIN, RIGHT MAIN ALL DOWN-AND-LOCKED**
  <sub>Verbalize THREE GREEN to confirm positive indication. The gear-unsafe horn should be silent with throttle at approach power setting.</sub>
- [ ] Flaps — extend to approach setting — **SET PER POH**
- [ ] Airspeed — stabilize at approach speed — **ESTABLISHED PER POH**
- [ ] Seatbelts — all occupants — **SECURED**

## Landing

- [ ] Gear — final verification before crossing threshold — **THREE GREEN CONFIRMED**
- [ ] Approach — stable on glidepath, centerline, and airspeed — **STABILIZED**
- [ ] Flaps — landing setting as required — **SET PER POH**
- [ ] Flare — initiate at appropriate height; reduce power smoothly to idle — **SMOOTH FLARE; POWER TO IDLE**
- [ ] Touchdown — main wheels first; nose lowered gently after speed decays — **DIRECTIONAL CONTROL MAINTAINED WITH RUDDER**
- [ ] Braking — smooth and progressive; avoid wheel lockup — **APPLIED AS NEEDED; AERODYNAMIC BRAKING USED DURING ROLLOUT**

## Go-Around

- [ ] Throttle — **FULL POWER — advance smoothly and promptly**
- [ ] Pitch — establish positive climb attitude; arrest descent — **POSITIVE CLIMB ATTITUDE ESTABLISHED**
- [ ] Flaps — retract to first notch or takeoff setting; full retraction in stages at safe airspeed per POH — **RETRACTING IN STAGES**
- [ ] Airspeed — accelerate to climb speed before further flap retraction — **CLIMBING AIRSPEED ESTABLISHED**
- [ ] Gear — UP after positive rate of climb established and no landing option remains — **GEAR HANDLE UP; LIGHTS EXTINGUISHING**
- [ ] Trim — **ADJUSTED TO REDUCE CONTROL FORCES DURING CLIMB**
- [ ] ATC — advise of go-around; comply with missed approach or traffic pattern instructions — **ADVISED**

## After Landing

- [ ] Flaps — retract after clear of active runway — **RETRACTED**
- [ ] Transponder — **STBY OR GROUND MODE**
- [ ] Taxi speed — brakes tested gently; maintain awareness of gear-unsafe horn sensitivity — **CONTROLLED**

## Shutdown and Securing

- [ ] Parking brake — **SET**
- [ ] Mixture — idle cutoff to shut down engine — **IDLE CUTOFF — ENGINE STOPPED**
- [ ] Ignition switch — **OFF — after engine stops**
- [ ] Avionics master — **OFF**
- [ ] All electrical switches — **OFF**
- [ ] Master switch — **OFF**
- [ ] Fuel selector — **LEFT OR RIGHT PER OPERATOR PRACTICE; AVOID LEAVING ON BOTH UNATTENDED**
- [ ] Flight controls — gust lock or control lock — **INSTALLED PER OPERATOR PRACTICE**
- [ ] Pitot cover and tiedowns — **COVER INSTALLED; AIRCRAFT TIED DOWN AND CHOCKED IF OUTSIDE**

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NOT FOR FLIGHT — source fidelity: not_applicable | operational review: none | completeness: normal_only | 1 unresolved safety defect(s)  
Source: authored — no source document  
Rights: original_expression CC-BY-4.0  
Checklist hash: 65e3feaf68fe65be2ec1b8c138793a6ded6eb24b4856b36b2a825cb52022e0a8  
Verify against the aircraft's own approved documentation before use.