Devised this Go-Around check list

QuoteOn say a C150 you can apply full power at around Vs and forget the rudder and it isn’t going to flip over. bq.

….Peter you might want to test that thesis on a reasonable sample of the fleet, now only forty plus years young…

This is going to come across as unkind to the OP, sorry, it’s not intended that way, but…

Devising more checklists is not an effective solution to improving flying safety in light certified GA aircraft. It might work toward flying perfection, but piloting these aircraft does not need perfection, it just needs safe and appropriately skillful. For those aircraft for which it might be appropriate, the aircraft manufacturer or airline will do it, the pilot does not need to.

If you are flying a light certified aircraft, it has been tested and approved to meet a number of design requirements, which combined equal “simple and predictable” [to fly], or it will not be approved. If you’re flying something of another type (like ex military), there are mitigations, but usually lots of training and experience are the big ones. If you’re flying the big iron, then yes, there are checklists appropriate to certain phases of flight, and certainly for abnormal procedures, and emergencies, but things like a go around should still be pilot instinct.

If a pilot needs a checklist to fly an aircraft airborne, I find that a little worrisome. It does not mean that a checklist should not be used, but it is not a crutch to replace airmanship, knowledge and skill in general, and with the aircraft type. Sure, if it’s one of your first flights on a different type, or a type you have not flown in a while, taking the time with an approved checklist is wise. And certainly a prestart/pre takeoff and shutdown checklist is a good idea on an unfamiliar aircraft. But, a maneuver like a go around is hard to get wrong, and if a pilot does, it’s probably because they forgot to, or were distracted away from flying the plane – by use of a checklist maybe!

Practices like adding power and pitching up should be instinctive, and simultaneous, no matter what aircraft type. There should be no need for a pilot of any certified aircraft to have to be reminded as to which one is to happen first, they should all happen appropriately together. If the aircraft has so much power that there is a risk of loss of control from doing this, then it is an aircraft type for which special training is appropriate. Skill and experience should have that pilot know that retracting all the landing flap at once will not work out well on most planes. A checklist is not necessary to remind a pilot of this. It’s got to be pretty dire (meaning you were already behind the aircraft) if raising the gear before positive rate is established is wise. I’ve only ever done that once, from the right seat, and it was dire, and it did save the day. Hot and heavy Piper Arrow drifted well of the runway by a crosswind, and was not going to outclimb an obstruction – certainly NO time to be looking for a checklist!

The use of a checklist can certainly be a distraction, and great caution and awareness needs to be applied to this during certain phases of flight. The check pilots I have respected the most have mentored me to keeping things very simple in the air, and using few if any checklists in flight. Certainly my checkrides in the Caravan and Twin Otter, called for very minimal use of checklists in flight, it was all simply know the plane, and then fly it the way you know it needs to be flown using your airmanship.

I find that some pilots seem to use checklists, and those strings of letters which form not really words, as a supplement for simply knowing the plane, and airmanship in general.

For me, airmanship is that mid final, the aircraft is confirmed to be in landing configuration, whatever that is for that aircraft, and landing circumstance, perhaps with final flaps and prop fine to go. This has included otherwise putting the aircraft into a go around configuration to the extent possible on final, and thinking and observing outside and ahead of the aircraft. Is that pilot pulling on to the runway to depart ahead of me likely to sit there? Do they know I’m a mile final? Right then and there 25% chance of a go around, and mental preparation done. Then, if that pilot sits there, as they did last week, it’s add the power, fly the plane, and return it to takeoff ad climb configuration.

And “trim” in a checklist? Yes, ONE PLACE ONLY! Pre takeoff, so you confirm that trim is somewhere reasonable for takeoff. Otherwise, you’re always going to fly the plane, right? So you’re going to trim the plane for the configuration you’re flying. No need to wait through a checklist to confirm that you’ve done that, you already have!

As I say, please take no offense, I too do use checklists, but not in “critical” fly the plane first phases of flight. I use the manufacturer’s checklist, and any applicable supplements. It would be very rare that I use anyone else’s checklist, unless it were a particular special purpose operation of the aircraft, for which additional items are needed. But if that were to be the case, then they should be in an approved Flight Manual Supplement for that aircraft.

Instead I do, and I encourage at other non avitating times, when your mind is droid anyway (like driving to work, or on the train) running scenarios: What’s my pilot action if that guy cuts me off? If I had to force land into that field over there, could I get in okay? What are the actions to make it as safe as possible? You see a motorist with his hood (Oh, right, bonnet) up, what are your engine fire/failure procedures? These don’t even need to be aircraft specific, just master the basics. Then, when you are type trained, you’re just supplementing the basics you know with appropriate differences. When I first was checked out in the C 310: If you have an engine failure, what do you do before turning on the standby fuel pumps? Open the cowl flaps, and look for fire, ‘cause were there to be fire, you might see it there. Those few seconds don’t matter while you still fly the plane, but might save you putting pressurized fuel on a fire! If you need that engine back faster than that, you’ve already let things get too far out of hand.

Should you always extend the wheels for a normal landing in an RG? Nope! Not if it’s an amphibian, and your going to land it on the water. EVERY landing I do in an amphib has the words spoken aloud along with every possible visual check: “Wheels are down for landing on land/Wheels are up for landing on water”. I don’t read a checklist, I just do it.

Know your airmanship first, and your plane next, the rest will come with experience, and perfection is not required…

Sorry for sounding blunt and preachy, but some things merit being guided in context…

Checklists are a rather personal thing and one can discuss them forever. Abbreviated or full? “Do”-list or “check”-list? Ground only or both ground and in flight? And so on…

Just a few observations:

I have seen many (horrible) “custom made” checklists, often created by rather low time (100-500hrs) pilots. Most of them are somewhat shortened (or otherwise modified) versions of the POH lists.

However, it does take a lot of experience in and knowledge about specific aircraft types (and variants) before one really can differentiate between superfluous “lawyer” items and the seriously useful items. Many items may seem superfluous or redundant but often they do really have a good (practical) reason for being there. Often, there is a good reason why things are listed in a certain chronological order, etc. But it may not be totallly obvious for who doesn’t have all that much experience and knowledge.

Be very wary of “aeroclub checklists” and so on. I have seen some which are on the verge of being criminal. I am sure many of their “authors” were not really aware of the possible consequences of their doings.

So, if in doubt, get out the POH and do it all, from start to finish, even if takes a minute or two longer. This is not to say that the POH ones are always good. They’re often not! But again, don’t mess with these too much unless you really know the whys and hows of flying and of that particular aircraft.

Would be interesting to know how many experienced pilots still use the FREDA mnemonic in their heads as they “auto” check.

I had to look up the R part as I couldnt remember what it was. Now I know it’s Radio. For me, I then do a FEDA check. Not sure why I seem to have forgotten the Radio part since learning 8 years ago, probably because I either have the right frequency and I am communicating, or I have the wrong frequency and someone will soon tell me ,or I will check the frequency if I get no response. I wouldnt do a blind transmission without checking the radio frequency was correct. Therefore these Radio check things happen outside of the FREDA check for me.

To be honest, I dropped using the paper or electronic (in the MFD on the Cirrus) checklist altogether. I do miss items and in most cases the Cirrus warns me for it (like the pitot heat warning will come up while climbing out and getting close to freezing level or the flaps overspeed warning). There are some things (like setting flaps on a short field takeoff which are important and if I would forget it might mean trouble. However, flying SEIFR I believe focussing too much on the checklist work would lead to more dangerous situations. I do have regular moments where I go through a flow and check if all is set ok, however.

I think the use of checklists is overstressed during flight training. I also do understand that it maybe depends on the number of hours you fly each year and your personal character type.