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New Checklists

Hello,

we are revising the checklists of our clubs aircraft for flight training and clubs usage. We want (of course) to comply with the manuals, but reduce the list to the bare necessities. Before starting to work out the procedures, I wanted to ask how you use checklists and what items you figure to be necessary ore useful. I have found some "abbreviated checklists" on the internet, but they seem to be quite verbose. The planes are a C150, a C172 and a PA28, so pretty basic.

Thanks a lot, Malte

mh
Aufwind GmbH
EKPB, Germany

Below is the checklist I developed for the flight school where I work part time. Sorry for the untidy look as I could not get it to format properly when I tried to copy it to this post.

C 172P Checklist

Pre-Start (do list)

Dispatch Checklist........ Complete

Passenger Brief........ Complete

HOBBS........ Record

Avionics & Electrical........ Off

Circuit Breakers........ In

*Start * (do list)

Fuel Selector........ Both

Carb Heat........ Cold

Throttle........ Open 1/2"

Mixture........ Rich

Prime........ As required

Master........ On

Beacon........ On

Nav Light........ On (at night)

Prop........ Clear

After Start (checklist)

Throttle........ 1000RPM

Ammeter........ zero

Oil Pressure........ Rising

Brakes........ Check

** Pre-Taxi ** (Do list)

Flaps........ Up

Avionics Master........ On

Transponder........ Code set & Standby selected

Altimeter........ Set

Heading Indicator........ Set

Fuel Selector........ Both & Quantity checked

Instruments........ Check on Taxi

Run Up (do list PPL, Checklist advanced PPL/CPL)

Fuel Selector........ Both & Qty.

Oil Temp. & Press........ Green

Mixture........ Rich

Throttle........ 1700RPM

Suction Gauge........ 4.5 - 5.4

Oil Temp. & Press........ Green

Alternator........ Check charging

Mags........ Check

Carb Heat........ Hot

Mixture........ Check

Throttle........ Idle Check

Carb Heat........ Cold

Thottle........ 1000RPM

Pre-Takeoff (do list to the line, memory item below the line)

Belts & Doors & Seats........ Secure

Fuel Selector........ Both & Quantity checked

Trim........ Set for T/O

Carb Heat........ Cold

Mixture........ Rich

Flaps........ Set

Primer........ In & Locked

Mags........ Both

Oil Temp. & Press........ Green

Heading Indicator........ Set

Controls........ Free & Correct

T/O Brief........ Complete

Time........ Record

Strobe Lights........ On

Transponder........ Alt

Landing Light........ On

Cruise Check (do list PPL, checklist advanced PPL/CPL)

Throttle........ RPM Set

Carb Heat........ Check

Mixture........ Lean as Req.

Heading Indicator........ Set

Landing Light........ Off

Flight Plan........ Open

Descent & Approach (do list PPL, checklist advanced PPL/CPL)

Fuel Selector........ Both & Quantity

Mixture........ Rich

Landing light........ On

Altimeter........ Set

Oil Temp. & Press........ Green

Approach........ Briefed

Pre Landing (Memory flow)

Fuel Selector........ Both & Quantity checked

Mixture........ Rich

Brakes........ Check

Carb Heat........ as req

After Landing (checklist)

Carb Heat........ Cold

Flaps........ Up

Transponder........ Off

Landing Light........ Off

Strobe Lights........ Off

Time Record

** Shut Down** (Do list)

Electrical Equip........ Off

Avionics Master........ Off

Mags........ Cycle

Fuel........ Both

Mixture........ ICO

Mags........ Off

Beacon........ On

Master........ Off

HOBBS........ Record

Control Lock........ Install

Flight Plan........ Closed

Notes:

1) Checks are designed with a consistent flow. They start at the fuel selector and make a counter clockwise flow around the instrument panel ending at the throttle quadrant

2) "do list" means read the item do the action, then move to the next line on the checklist

3) "checklist" means all the actions are performed as a flow and then when complete and time/situation permitting the checklist is reviewed to make sure nothing was forgotten.

4) By " PPL" I mean a student doing ab intio training. By advanced PPL I mean a already licensed PPL who is doing further training

Wine, Women, and Airplanes = Happy
Canada

If you want to get closely spaced lines, with line breaks where you want them, put two spaces at the end of each line, as described in the Posting Tips.

For example,

this is line 1xx
this is line 2xx
this is line 3

where x is a space.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I am an advocate of "bare minimum" checklists that only describe the most important items or even dropping checklists in some phases of flight and to use cockpit flows from left to right. To me the most important aspect to learn is to check/think consistently at certain stages in flight such as after takeoff, when starting the cruise and especially when starting the decent/approach.

Items such as turning on the transponder, or to lean while cruising e.g. are items which in my view can be taken out. If the transponder is not turned on, the controller in most cases will tell you they cannot see you on their screens. When I took my Instrument Rating exam I had to work with a 17 page long checklist with callouts designed in my view for multi-crew setups. I don't believe that increases the safety in the cockpit.

So here is an article that stirred up some discussion about throwing out the checklist.

As for myself when e.g. flying the Cirrus SR22T I have a A5 size checklist (yes on paper, am not using the checklists in the MFD) which I use initially before flight and in flight if I have not been flying for some weeks to get into the "flow" again. Then I drop using the checklist on the rest of the flights. Works for me.

EDLE, Netherlands

The planes are a C150, a C172 and a PA28, so pretty basic.

These guys have done all the work and sell the completed Checklists

I have a system that I've developed over quite a number of years that works well for me, and I've used successfully in both teaching and my own flying.

You're welcome to a copy of it, if you'd like to email me at boffin (at) engineer (dot) com, I'll email you some documents you're welcome to plagiarise. I'd appreciate that if you make use of it, you put an acknowledgement that the concepts and/or documents came from me, but would be content to leave that to trust.

I have versions for all of those types - but do say which C150, PA28 and C172 models you're using so that I send you the right ones.

G

Boffin at large
Various, southern UK.

AEROPLUS

I think you need to go read my post again as I don't think you understand what I wrote.

All the checks are arranged as a flow. Since ab initio instructing is being carried out the student needs to learn the checks which is why they are specified as do lists. However in the context of your operation the SOP for advanced PPL would apply.

So the pilot picks up the checklist and does the prstart and start items by reading the checklist and doing each item. He then puts down the checklist and starts the engine performing the after start checks as part of a flow. He then picks up the checklist "checks" the after start items and does the pre taxi items. The airplane is taxied to the hard stand and the runup is done with a flow and then he picks up the checklist again and "checks" the runup items to make sure nothing was missed and then performs the pretakeoff checks to the line by reading and doing.

The checklist now goes in the holder and he does the line up checks from memory, takes off climbs and settles into cruise and performs the cruise checks as a flow. When convenient he can pull the checklist out and again "check" that he has not forgotten anything.

Nearing his destination he does the descent check as a flow and again when appropriate to the flight conditions and his workload he can quickly glance at the checklist to double check his work, The checklist now goes into the holder and will not be pulled out again until the airplane gets to its parking spot as he will do the 4 item prelanding check by memory and the after landing check as a flow. When the aircraft comes to a stop at its parking spot the after landing check is reviewed to make sure nothing got forgotten and the shutdown check is actioned.

I am not sure how you can make checklist use any simpler, but of course would be interested in any ideas.

A few additional points

1) This checklist was formatted with the idea that only items which if they were to be forgotten/miss set/showed a fault, would result in a safety to flight hazard were to be included. While in general this philosophy was followed there are a few "economic" checks. In our operation failing to complete the dispatch checklist is a violation of the flying schools operating certificate and causes billing problems so it was added to the prestart checks. Leaving the landing light on unnecessarily during cruise causes the expensive landing lights to fail early so it was added to the cruise check. As for the remaining items I challenge anyone to find something in the checks where were it to be missed or miss set there would not be a degradation in safety

2) Saying you don't need a written checklist just use a flow is nice but the flow still has to be taught and practiced. My students never forget the transponder because I insist that crossing the hold line always triggers the final items so the habit of time noted, strobes on, transponder to alt becomes automatic. And by the way I fly in very busy aircraft from a tower controlled airport and ATC has emphasized the importance of having the transponder on so that the tower automatic traffic collision alarm is active as well as the importance of having a transponder signal for TCAS equiped aircraft.

3) If you fly the same simple airplane on a regular basis than you will probably use flows for everything and the checklist will mostly sit in its holder. However in the context of a flying group which I assume the original poster is talking about you will have most pilots flying on an irregular basis and in different, albeit simple, airplanes. For this group a good comprehensive checklist and a emphasis on checkkist discipline is I think essential for safe operations.

Wine, Women, and Airplanes = Happy
Canada
7 Posts
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