Richard WOODS
Filing Flight Plan
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Richard W
I have noticed that some checklists use numbered items, some use bullets and other use nothing. What should be used based upon human factor studies?
Checklist Bullet Markings
- Thread starter Richard WOODS
- Start date
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe
Touchdown! Greaser!
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Light and Sporty Guy
Bullets kill.
kgruber
Final Approach
FlightSafety checklists use RED for memory items
WannFly
Final Approach
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe
Touchdown! Greaser!
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Light and Sporty Guy
Clip4
Final Approach
Items numbered work well because by reading the number you quickly realize when you overlooked an item.
SloRoam
Pre-Flight
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SloRoam
I’m not sure a paper checklist can be made “best” for human factors.
If you want a “best”, I’d suggest a grease pencil and marking a box to indicate “done.”
People are not good with numbers compared to visual displays of information, and numbered items are only as good as the persons usage of them.
I’d say the best checklist is one that you make yourself, incorporating a physical “flow” in the movements or locations to be checked, and ensuring that all variations are consistent. I just built my own for my Cessna, and it is customized to my systems (e.g. I have 2 altimeters to set) and also incorporates the same physical “flow” starting from the fuel selector and moving up, then right to left.
Human beings get used to routine, which allows them to spot exceptions.
I find the worst checklists have different routines for different phases of flight, increasing mental/pilot load.
I also use a “Verb” to indicate what should be done, so that the checklist is more of a command:
Fuel Selector BOTH
Trim SET FOR TAKEOFF
Cowl Flaps OPEN
Etc.
Hope that helps - I printed mine on plastic at signs.com, and have found that since my checklist is exactly aligned to what I need to do, and doesn’t have anything that needs to be ignored or anything that I need to remember to modify from what’s written, it is super fast, and kind of fun, to crank through it as part of my routine.
So here’s my list, in order of priority
* everything can be done, literally, in order, as written
* the same tasks, in the same order, with the same words, for all phases of the checklist to ensure flow
* easy to read, with style conventions like CAPS for status, and lowercase for the item, or some other consistent convention
* tables with no borders, using alternate shading to distinguish rows, so the text pops
* clear sections / section breaks
* consistent borders
* emergency sections in RED, on their own sheet/side
* one sheet, front for std and rear for emergency
That’s my 2c.
If you want a “best”, I’d suggest a grease pencil and marking a box to indicate “done.”
People are not good with numbers compared to visual displays of information, and numbered items are only as good as the persons usage of them.
I’d say the best checklist is one that you make yourself, incorporating a physical “flow” in the movements or locations to be checked, and ensuring that all variations are consistent. I just built my own for my Cessna, and it is customized to my systems (e.g. I have 2 altimeters to set) and also incorporates the same physical “flow” starting from the fuel selector and moving up, then right to left.
Human beings get used to routine, which allows them to spot exceptions.
I find the worst checklists have different routines for different phases of flight, increasing mental/pilot load.
I also use a “Verb” to indicate what should be done, so that the checklist is more of a command:
Fuel Selector BOTH
Trim SET FOR TAKEOFF
Cowl Flaps OPEN
Etc.
Hope that helps - I printed mine on plastic at signs.com, and have found that since my checklist is exactly aligned to what I need to do, and doesn’t have anything that needs to be ignored or anything that I need to remember to modify from what’s written, it is super fast, and kind of fun, to crank through it as part of my routine.
So here’s my list, in order of priority
* everything can be done, literally, in order, as written
* the same tasks, in the same order, with the same words, for all phases of the checklist to ensure flow
* easy to read, with style conventions like CAPS for status, and lowercase for the item, or some other consistent convention
* tables with no borders, using alternate shading to distinguish rows, so the text pops
* clear sections / section breaks
* consistent borders
* emergency sections in RED, on their own sheet/side
* one sheet, front for std and rear for emergency
That’s my 2c.
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