Checklists

What kind of checklist do you use?

  • Total voters
    78
BillG

BillG

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
Messages
301
Location
Massachusetts
Display Name
Bill Greenberg
Home Airfield
6B6
I'm curious about what other people do for checklists. I've always obsessed over my customized checklist that I modify every now and again. What do other people use? If you have a customized format that you like, post it here for others to see and share.
 
BillG said:
I'm curious about what other people do for checklists. I've always obsessed over my customized checklist that I modify every now and again. What do other people use? If you have a customized format that you like, post it here for others to see and share.
Click to expand...

I tend to use the ones from the POH. I might change the order of a couple things, especially on preflight, but that's about it.
 
The place we rent from has a nice checklist for the new skyhawk. It is a really good piece for everything except the walk around pre-flight, for which I use the POH.

Jim G
 
I customized my own by comparing the POH to the Check Mate and then added in a few others of my own that I need a reminder on (such as remembering to take off the hand brake before trying to taxi!!). I also build in the various power settings, etc.

I print this off, cut it down to pocket size and then laminate the paper between plastic sheets - works great.

How about an ancillary question, how many people religiously use the checklists? I do but was amazed how many people don't when I asked this before.
 
I use the standard size CheckMate checklist (for my specific make/model/year). I prefer the Standard Size (6.5 x 9), although they make smaller.

I bought mine from pilotstore.com.
 
BillG said:
I'm curious about what other people do for checklists. I've always obsessed over my customized checklist that I modify every now and again. What do other people use? If you have a customized format that you like, post it here for others to see and share.
Click to expand...

I read the POH, modify their check lists to flow, and after a while, outside of unusual circumstances, it stays stowed.
 
I've got a B-55 specific one from Sure Check, but I'd like to make my own. All the "standard" ones have way too much stuff and are a confusing combination of "do-list" and "checklist" items. Mostly these days in a plane I know well, I use flows and a couple acrynoms.
 
I think I was using a Sure Check checklist in the Cherokee I've been flying while waiting for my Tiger. I agree with you, Lance - too much stuff and not a very good flow. I'm always looking for a better format and flow. I was about to modify my old Skyhawk checklists last night by using the Tiger POH and a checklist given to me by my checkout CFI when I realized I don't use the preflight list - I know what to do as I walk around the plane - and realized that I want to overhaul the whole thing again. I'll definitely base it heavily on the POH of course, but I want to make it the most user-friendly. I typically pull it out and use it for most of my cockpit items without relying on it. If I realize I've skipped something I'll go directly to the list and see if I can figure out why I skipped it. If I can figure out why (someone asked me a question at that point, etc) I'll keep going. If I can't figure out why I missed something it's time to start over...
 
Re: Checklists and War Stories

lancefisher said:
I've got a B-55 specific one from Sure Check, but I'd like to make my own. All the "standard" ones have way too much stuff and are a confusing combination of "do-list" and "checklist" items. Mostly these days in a plane I know well, I use flows and a couple acrynoms.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine, whos father flew a flight engineer on B-36's and wrenched on B-27's and B-24' before that has original, leather bound books produced by Boeing for the B-17. I was stunned by how little detail was in the POH. Pretty much flip this, make sure of that, now try to fire her up. Pilots of those days probably weren't used to the amount of detailed training aids that we are.
His Dad , before he passed away a while back told us that pilots soloed 4 engine planes with less than 200 hours Total Time. He said also that you have not really experienced a departure stall till you've done one to a full break while riding in the tail gunners position.
:hairraise: Yikes.......
 
bstratt said:
How about an ancillary question, how many people religiously use the checklists? I do but was amazed how many people don't when I asked this before.
Click to expand...
I make doubly sure I use my checklist before taking off for aerobatics. Twice now when using my checklist I found that I didn't have my seat belt on. :eek: When you have a parachute on, it FEELS like you're already buckled into something. It's been known to happen that people don't buckle up for that very reason and they find out the hard way when they get inverted.
 
Diana said:
It's been known to happen that people don't buckle up for that very reason and they find out the hard way when they get inverted.
Click to expand...
Reminds me of the scene from Men In Black where Will Smith kisses the ceiling of the Ford POS when they go inverted in the tunnel. :rofl:
 
Our club has laminated checklists they provide to all members, and I have some additional customized checklists taped to my clipboard.
 
I always use my checklists. It's too easy to overlook something otherwise. I have gotten to the runup area and found a door open. I also leave some redundancy in, for steps that I want to doublecheck.

I use the little flip-up Checkmate book (3.5x6.5) for the 172, with a few additional notes thrown in. I think this is by far the best checklist for that airplane. For the 8KCAB, I wrote my own. It's on an 8.5x11 sheet, folded into sixths, and is getting very worn out.
 
Henning said:
I read the POH, modify their check lists to flow, and after a while, outside of unusual circumstances, it stays stowed.[/QUOTE

I, too, am pretty much like Henning on this.

Jim
Click to expand...
 
Cherokee: I use CheckMate, but only for the run-up -- everything else I have my own flow for.

R22: We have laminated pages from the POH. I use it religously up to the sprag clutch check. After that it gets too busy to be holding something in your hands other than the cyclic and collective!
:heli:
 
BillG said:
I'm curious about what other people do for checklists. I've always obsessed over my customized checklist that I modify every now and again. What do other people use? If you have a customized format that you like, post it here for others to see and share.
Click to expand...

I add to the POH as they always are insufficient and then use it, because if I don't, after awhile in some unusual situation, I'll sometimes forget something.
 
When I was a student pilot, my CFI gave me a single page (8 1/2 x 11) checklist for the C-172 that had been created by an FBO at BFI. I took it, bounced it against the checklist in the POH and modified it to a single column format on a half width sheet of paper. Worked out the bugs so the flow was right for that plane and have used it ever since. I haven't bothered to laminate it as the file is on my PC and I can print out a fresh one when needed. When getting checked out in the 182 and the Arrow I modified it to work for them. Constant speed props and retractable gear add to the complexity and the pre-flight flow is a bit different. I've also created a separate one for the C-172H as there are subtle differences between it and the C-172N that require modifications to the pre-flight routine. I keep all four in the outside chart pocket of my flight bag so I'm set to go regardless of which plane I have reserved. These are more detailed than the ones in the POHs of the planes, so there are fewer things to miss as long as you follow the check list.

Yes, my CFI was an ATP and flying by checklist was a given...
 
I have a BPPP (Bonanza Pilot Proficiency Program) check list in the plane. Took that, POH and items I like to treat in a certain manner and created my own.

I still look at the checklist every time; although, I skip over some things second flight of the day, VMC on occassion.

Best,

Dave
A-36TN
 
In '96, the then CFI built a checklist off the POH and a few 'special' checks he liked, laminated the page (two sided), and it's been in the planes ever since. A bit dog-eared but still quite useful. It covers every stage of preflight thru shutdown and includes a quick tour of emergencies, short fields, and soft fields. Nice that it fits on two pages.
As to checklists themselves, the worst part is getting complacent. There are things I check all the time that isn't on any checklist I've seen. My DE got me to check the underside of the wing. Funny how you can do an entire preflight and forget to UNTIE THE PLANE!!!
 
My last action after the pre-flight and before strapping in is a quick walk completely around the a/c looking at the surrounding ground and noting where the chains, chalks, and other stuff are in relation to the airframe.
 
Henning said:
I read the POH, modify their check lists to flow, and after a while, outside of unusual circumstances, it stays stowed.
Click to expand...

Me, too. CIGAR-TIP, etc., forever! What I hate when folks become slaves to the great checklist god -- see my article in Aviation Safety Magazine from about Feb 2000 on that subject ("Checklist - Master or Slave"). Anyone who needs a printed checklist to get the engine running is overdoing checklist use.
 
Ron Levy said:
Me, too. CIGAR-TIP, etc., forever! What I hate when folks become slaves to the great checklist god -- see my article in Aviation Safety Magazine from about Feb 2000 on that subject ("Checklist - Master or Slave"). Anyone who needs a printed checklist to get the engine running is overdoing checklist use.
Click to expand...

Depends. I fly three different airplanes right now, and none of them start the same as the others. I find the checklists useful.
 
Diana said:
I make doubly sure I use my checklist before taking off for aerobatics. Twice now when using my checklist I found that I didn't have my seat belt on. :eek: When you have a parachute on, it FEELS like you're already buckled into something. It's been known to happen that people don't buckle up for that very reason and they find out the hard way when they get inverted.
Click to expand...

Just be sure you secure all the parachute straps every single time without fail no matter what. That incident a couple years back with the guy that had to bail and fell out of his parachute is just...horrid...for lack of an appropriate word.


For the subject of this thread, Henning has the right idea. I use the POH checklist as a reference to put my own checklist together modified as needed and in a format that is actually useable and readable. (If it's obnoxious, you're not going to use it)

More important than the checklist is the ability to use the information in it while it's in the baggage area under the tent...from memory while sitting in the plane on the ramp blindfolded everything by touch.
 
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Diana said:
I make doubly sure I use my checklist before taking off for aerobatics. Twice now when using my checklist I found that I didn't have my seat belt on. :eek: When you have a parachute on, it FEELS like you're already buckled into something. It's been known to happen that people don't buckle up for that very reason and they find out the hard way when they get inverted.
Click to expand...
Well i don't do aerobatics yet, but everytime my brother goes with me i say "got your seat belt on" when i am going through my checklist and he doesn't. Haha
 
Interesting survey results. OK, so if 58% of us use customized checklists, how come 99% of us haven't posted them here to share? :)
 
The problem that I have with most checklist is that they have you wandering all over the cockpit with the items being in (it seems) some random order.

I've created our own checklist, insuring all the items in the original POH are covered but in an order that moves across the panel and down the center console. I've made the list (which is in Jeppesen-size format) available to other Rallye owners and also told them where to purchase the paper.

If you own a Rallye :D, link to my documents page at http://www.aviline.com/rallye/docs/
 
I always make my own. I have yet to find one that is organized logically or thorough enough for my needs.
 
I made my own and programmed them into the 530.
 
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