WhiskeyPapa wrote:
Frankly, inside the cockpit too, I would find it easier do do it all from memory, but I’ve been convinced that I’ll fall out of the sky if I attempt such a feat, so I don’t.
You can always do then check. It is a checklist after all.
I always use checklists once I’m inside the plane. I do this for two reasons :
Firstly because I know what distractions can do, and I don’t want to skip something important. (I have read the fatal report about the Citation pilot that tried to takeoff with gust locks still in place, and no checklist…incredible.) Notwithstanding my rigour, I have in the past started the engine, forgotten to have booked out, stopped the engine, booked out, and then made a mistake by rushing once back in the plane – re-starting with the fuel switched off was a good one: The engine ran for about 30 seconds then died. Luckily for me the plane’s design doesn’t allow for there to be more than about 30 seconds of fuel in the fuel pipes.
Secondly I find that passengers are really reassured to see me religiously run through the checklist and note that everything is ok, often twice (“after starting”, and “before take-off” checks) before we actually take off. I can tell that they like to hear that everything is tested and is confirmed as ok. Having a plane full of properly reassured passengers should be on the checklist : “Passengers calm and ready?” 
NIL: A Cessna 340 that I maintain and is owned by a friend was landed gear-up at Orly /Paris airport last week after the pilot could not extend the gear.
The probable cause is that the emergency gear hand crank was half deployed which basically dis-engages the electrical gear motor but does not fully engage the hand crank.
The pilot arrived at Toussus le Noble near 10pm with very little fuel reserves. When the gear did not come down the pilot elected to divert to Orly since there were no E services at Toussus et the time.
Clearly, the E check-list for recalcitrant gear problems was not followed at all, probably due to the stress of having minimal fuel for diverting and/or sorting out the problem.
The 340 was trashed.
I have read the fatal report about the Citation pilot that tried to takeoff with gust locks still in place, and no checklist…incredible.
That was a Gulfstream. On a Citation you can’t start the engines when the gust locks are engaged. How I know that? Don’t ask…
what_next wrote:
That was a Gulfstream. On a Citation you can’t start the engines when the gust locks are engaged. How I know that? Don’t ask…
You can on a baby citation….
Michael wrote:
little fuel reserves
Michael wrote:
Clearly, the E check-list for recalcitrant gear problems was not followed at all, probably due to the stress of having minimal fuel for diverting and/or sorting out the problem.
This is one reason why I always top off fuel in Germany in spite of the price before returning to the UK (assuming w&b works). Should I have a weather or technical emergency on arrival I don’t want a simultaneous fuel emergency.
Airborne_Again wrote:
The argument seems to be that if you have “good airmanship”, then you will never forget anything.
Not really. But if you take care of (hopefully the few) very important items that won’t give you a second chance, you should be able to identify and rectify any omission assuming you can even perceive the impact. Flow really helps in this. Recognizing a switch is in the wrong position when you look at it should be easier and more reliable than recalling you’re now supposed to switch something. You also make no assumptions about the state (you check everything at least once). One thing I was taught is that one shouldn’t study a checklist if an aircraft is moving but not on autopilot (unless there is a second crew member).
Maoraigh wrote:
The checklist cards I’ve used in US are much simpler and sensible than the many pages UK flying schools use.
I did my multiengine rating while I was living in Houston with an MD-11 senior FO as my instructor.
The entire checklist for his twin fit on a single laminated A4 (well, probably Letter as it was the US) card. And so did their MD-11 checklist for that matter – he saw no reason why a checklist for a light piston twin should be pages and pages when you can get an MD-11 checklist on a single laminated sheet!
They’ve pulled the CVR tapes from the Air Maroc flight:
