Make my own checklists?

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radioguy01

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radioguy01
Hi all,

I just acquired a 1976 Cessna 150M. Great plane. The checklists that came with it are old and falling apart. Is there any reason that I can't type up my own check list and have it laminated and use that in its place? There are a few things I'd like to add in there for my own flights.

Thanks
 
No reason at all. Just make sure that all the stuff in the "Official" 150 checklist is covered. That is, the one in the manual. You can arrange it as you see fit, add to it as you see fit.
 
You also may want to consider apps that are available.
 
Of course make your own.

Review the factory lists and omit the garbage that is clearly CYA or clueless. Add the important items that are missing. Fly, change as necessary. Fly again, change as necessary. Repeat.
 
Just triple check that you have the obvious stuff. Look up pilot made checklists online and borrow from them as you see fit. There was a thread a month or so ago on this topic with some good info.
 
I bought an inexpensive heat laminator and use the half sheet size. Get some 1" binder rings and punch a couple of holes on the side. I start out with the POH, but there are always personal reminders worth adding (make sure the door is latched on a Cherokee).
 
I didn't just "type up my own check list"(from the POH); I increased the font to 24 points or so, underlining or otherwise accentuating certain portions. With thick lamination, the double-sided 8.5 x11" document is not only easier to read but has been stuffed and removed uncountable times at the flap-pocket on my left "wall" without getting worn or creased.

HR
 
I had to make my own checklist to get through the instrument rating training because I needed some things that weren't on the stock checklist. Like others have said I Googled some Warrior checklists and got some help that way and edited those to suit my needs.
 
John221us said:
I bought an inexpensive heat laminator and use the half sheet size. Get some 1" binder rings and punch a couple of holes on the side. I start out with the POH, but there are always personal reminders worth adding (make sure the door is latched on a Cherokee).
Click to expand...

Or not to go flying with a DPE who will unlatch it on you....
 
A cautionary tale, posted recently to another thread:

http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1384445&postcount=63

BTW, my revised "Before Takeoff Checklist:

12878205765_5d71d62c28.jpg


And when I check "Airspeed Alive" on my takeoff roll I'm reminded one last time:

12878614734_bdec69989c_z.jpg
 
The Navion didn't come with "checklists" per se so I made my own.
We also put the dates of the:

Annual
Transponder/IFR Cert
and both pilots' BFR and Medical

dates on the top of it.
 
I like to make my own,with color and underlining. Also use old people type.
 
frfly172 said:
I like to make my own,with color and underlining. Also use old people type.
Click to expand...

For whatever it’s worth, here are a couple of checklists that I made. I revise and reprint them all the time.

They’re designed to be folded in half and clipped into a kneeboard. I started with the school’s checklists and modified them as I progressed, undersood the POHs, and learned what works for me:

Evektor SportStar Checklist

Cessna 172S Checklist

It was helpful to temporarily emphasize something that I missed in hopes that I'll kill whatever blind spot made me miss it (e.g. recording "Time Off" just before I depart).

The Cessna checklist hasn’t gone through many revisions, so it's a little rougher. And, because I have come to need it, I enlarged it from two half sheets to four half sheets so that it can have that "old people type" referenced by Ron. :sosp:

My general goal is to be able to flip or stow the sheets at natural points of inflection:
  • Page 1 – Preflight stuff with Engine off
  • Page 2 – Engine Start and Initial Taxi
  • Page 3 – Runup, takeoff, and cruise
  • Page 4 – Landing prep (check WX, Check-in, Check list), post landing, shutdown

I also include my local frequencies and some spaces to record destination frequencies, ATIS info, VFR clearance instructions, and some V-speeds.

I currently have all of the “mixture” points highlighted in blue (the color of avgas!) simply because dealing with mixture is new to me.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
No reason at all. Just make sure that all the stuff in the "Official" 150 checklist is covered. That is, the one in the manual. You can arrange it as you see fit, add to it as you see fit.
Click to expand...

I took a checklist for a C-172 my original CFI gave me (originated by an FBO at KBFI) re-typed it and have modified it for each of the planes in the club based on their POHs. Re-ordered some items in the preflight inspection to suit the flow for that plane. They're formatted for 1/2 page width. Print, cut and staple. When they wear out, re-print. Cheap and effective.
 
One thing I've added to my checklists was reminders to verify the on status of various portable electronics and applications (StratusII, MyFlightBook, CloudAhoy, etc).
 
I was assigned the task of making a checklist for the Skyhawk I flew most often by my primary CFI. It all fit on a single piece of paper turned landscape, laminated and folded in thirds for transport. Back side had the emergencies, color coded: red for fire, yellow for electrical, etc.

When I bought my plane, I made a longer checklist, because there's just more in the Mooney. To make it usable, I had Word format it to print in Booklet format, double-sided [using my old single-sided printer]. Had enough room to include the parts of the performance tables that I use most often. Sadly, though, the Emergency section of my Owner's Manual is a joke, two whole pages--half of which is manual gear extension and how to reset the alternator. "In case of engine fire, close cabin vents." That's the entire discussion of what to do in case of fire . . .

Sometimes writing your own is best. You can rearrange to suit your taste, add in your particular radio and eliminate things that are no longer there or not accepted good practice anymore.
 
radioguy01 said:
Hi all,

I just acquired a 1976 Cessna 150M. Great plane. The checklists that came with it are old and falling apart. Is there any reason that I can't type up my own check list and have it laminated and use that in its place? There are a few things I'd like to add in there for my own flights.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I do it on my planes and planes I'm going to work regularly. I also rearrange things to follow my 'flow' pattern.
 
Henning said:
I do it on my planes and planes I'm going to work regularly. I also rearrange things to follow my 'flow' pattern.
Click to expand...

I'm with Henning in the "flow" group that feels a check list should normally be just that- a "check" list not a "do" list.
I split the checklist into 3 sheets- preflight, normal, and emergency.
I have some examples of checklists that I have put together on my website. My normal format is to use 8 1/2x11" poster sheets that can be folded into quarters. One side for the ground, the other in flight. Newer ones I highlight the "air" side headings in blue to prevent confusion.
Emergency checklist is laminated.

Yes, horror of horrors I sometimes add/delete things from the POH. As an example, if you fly a turbocharged airplane you probably don't have an emergency procedure for a turbo failure and may not even know how to recognize it. Might want to add this to the EP checklist.
 
Blackhawk said:
Yes, horror of horrors I sometimes add/delete things from the POH. As an example, if you fly a turbocharged airplane you probably don't have an emergency procedure for a turbo failure and may not even know how to recognize it. Might want to add this to the EP checklist.
Click to expand...

Don't tell me you delete
Throttle Control - FULL (push full in)​
from the Takeoff checklist!!???

How would you ever know enough to get off the ground???!!!
 
Several have mentioned laminating. I used to do that until I discovered an HP product called "Tough Paper." Not paper at all, it is a kind of thin plastic that takes laser printing very nicely. I printed a two-sided color checklist and then tested it:


  • Dishwasher full cycle with dishes, pieces of food being flung around.
  • Clothes washer with a load of clothes and detergent
  • Clothes dryer with a load of clothes.

After all that, the page looked exactly the same as it did when it came out of the printer. Perfect. The material is also impossible for me to tear by hand but it cuts and Jepp-punches easily.

So, that's the good news. Laminating is not necessary if you print on that stuff. The bad news is that HP has discontinued the product. I found an internet posting though that claimed that "iGage Weatherproof Paper" and "Graytex Power Paper" seem to be the same stuff.

Re making a checklist for everything one flies. I do, too. I actually wrote an Excel/VBA program that makes sure that all my lists are in the same format, same sequence, etc. I'd offer to send it to folks but it is pretty user-hostile and almost certainly would not do anyone else any good.

My checklists are a single folded 8 1/2 x11" sheet. Outside front is preflight, outside back is flight and reference numbers (Vy, Vlo, etc.) and the inside two pages are abnormals and emergencies.

Re "horror of horrors" I think making a verbatim copy of the manufacturer's list is probably a symptom of being brain dead.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Don't tell me you delete
Throttle Control - FULL (push full in)​
from the Takeoff checklist!!???

How would you ever know enough to get off the ground???!!!
Click to expand...

Or on a landing check list:
Trim..... as required
Throttle.... as required
Airspeed... establish

Good thing those are in a checklist or I never would have done them.
 
I never laminate my checklists. If one wears out, I just reprint it. Usually, I'll have some modification I'll want to print first anyway.
 
acrophile said:
I never laminate my checklists. If one wears out, I just reprint it. Usually, I'll have some modification I'll want to print first anyway.
Click to expand...

I laminate the emergency checklist but not the normal checklist. I've found laminated checklists don't stay in a clip very well.
 
Blackhawk said:
I laminate the emergency checklist but not the normal checklist. I've found laminated checklists don't stay in a clip very well.
Click to expand...


You're not supposed to be sitting on it, but laminating the emergency checklist could keep it... Cleaner... If you are. ;) :)
 
Blackhawk said:
I laminate the emergency checklist but not the normal checklist. I've found laminated checklists don't stay in a clip very well.
Click to expand...

I have just one checklist document (per aircraft type). The emergency section-headers are highlighted for immediate visibility. I don't want to have to search through multiple documents to find an emergency checklist in the event of an emergency.

It depends though on what size type you're comfortable reading. I can get more than 600 words on a page, so I can fit my entire in-flight checklist on one side and my ground checklist on the other.
 
For my paper checklists, I used the Flight Crew Checklist pages from PDI Pueblo
NSN-7510-01-537-1400-2.jpg


But they are now PDFs on my iPad. Except for my emergency sticky note pad, the were the last paper items to go.
 
Blackhawk said:
I laminate the emergency checklist but not the normal checklist. I've found laminated checklists don't stay in a clip very well.
Click to expand...

My alternative to lamination is to print out the checklist on colored stock (usually use a colored file folder trimmed for my printer), and stick it in a "chart protector sleeve", which I still have several of.

You can see it clipped to my kneeboard (and under my iPhone) in this photo:

12926639325_89792065d8_z.jpg
 
midlifeflyer said:
But they are now PDFs on my iPad. Except for my emergency sticky note pad, the were the last paper items to go.
Click to expand...

I like Apple products in general, but HATE what's happened to the Pages application recently.

I opened up my checklist to make some minor changes, and everything was a little "off" and required adjustment. I am now stuck in the latest version, where several previously easy options are either gone or hidden.

I managed to work around those (selecting an object should not require a Google search!) but now when I go to print, I'm getting an error about my print selection size not being supported or some cr*p like that.

Just keeping it on my iPad sounds better and better. :mad2:
 
acrophile said:
I have just one checklist document (per aircraft type). The emergency section-headers are highlighted for immediate visibility. I don't want to have to search through multiple documents to find an emergency checklist in the event of an emergency.

It depends though on what size type you're comfortable reading. I can get more than 600 words on a page, so I can fit my entire in-flight checklist on one side and my ground checklist on the other.
Click to expand...

This is why I have the emergency checklist as a single laminated sheet that fits nicely in the pocket or other such area of every airplane I can think of.
Putting EP's and normal procedures on one sheet will normally make it too busy for the normal human and can also make it difficult to read as one advances in age.
The procedure I use with checklists is the same used in most airlines. A single folded sheet for normal procedures, then the single laminated 8 1/2x11 for immediate action items.
 
FastEddieB said:
I like Apple products in general, but HATE what's happened to the Pages application recently.
Click to expand...
Haven't used it.

My checklists are created using Word and have sections bookmarked. Word's PDF export keeps the bookmarks intact so when I pull them into ForeFlight (and GoodReader) they are ready to go.
 
midlifeflyer said:
For my paper checklists, I used the Flight Crew Checklist pages from PDI Pueblo

NSN-7510-01-537-1400-2.jpg




But they are now PDFs on my iPad. Except for my emergency sticky note pad, the were the last paper items to go.
Click to expand...


Wow. Checklists on a field of red white and blue.

Those must be some awesome checklists! 'Murica!

"Honey! Someone just posted a source for checklists with a damned American flag behind them! I MUST HAVE THEM! I'm ordering now!"

ROFL. :)
 
For my paper checklists, I used the Flight Crew Checklist pages from PDI Pueblo ...
Click to expand...
flyboys.com stocks that kind of stuff as well.

The military-style pages mix and match well with Jepp-style pages and page accessories like dividers and pockets from several of the daily planner companies. Franklin-Covey sells a nice Jepp-style steel punch that is both smaller and cheaper than the punches sold by Sporty's.

I don't care for checklists on a tablet. I like to hold the checklist and follow down the items with my thumb. I use a kneeboard with Jepp rings and have also made a number of reference cards for operation of equipment (like CAP FM radios and Apollo GPSs) that I don't use often. I guess I could put these on my Nexus 7 but it seems like unnecessary screwing around compared to just flipping to the reference card.
 
If you make your own checklist can you use it on your checkride? In the PTS it says "Throughout the practical test, the applicant is evaluated on the useof an approved manufacturer’s checklist or equivalent. If no manufacturer’s checklist is published, the appropriate FAAhandbook or equivalent checklist may be used."

So as long as I cover everything included in the POH's checklist it's ok, right?
 
denverpilot said:
Wow. Checklists on a field of red white and blue.

Those must be some awesome checklists! 'Murica!

"Honey! Someone just posted a source for checklists with a damned American flag behind them! I MUST HAVE THEM! I'm ordering now!"

ROFL. :)
Click to expand...



LOL! :lol:

It really didn't enter into my calculation. I came across them in a pilot shop about 20 years ago. I guess the company uses the flag because they make military spec equipment. But the sleeves really do hold up.
 
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NovemberZulu said:
If you make your own checklist can you use it on your checkride? In the PTS it says "Throughout the practical test, the applicant is evaluated on the useof an approved manufacturer’s checklist or equivalent. If no manufacturer’s checklist is published, the appropriate FAAhandbook or equivalent checklist may be used."

So as long as I cover everything included in the POH's checklist it's ok, right?
Click to expand...
While one can't account for the occasional cowboy Examiner, the answer is yes.

I used homemade checklists on my private, instrument and commercial checkrides.
 
midlifeflyer said:
LOL! :lol:



It really didn't enter into my calculation. I came across them in a pilot shop about 20 years ago. I guess the company uses the flag because they make military spec equipment. But the sleeves really do hold up.
Click to expand...


I knew it didn't. I just love making fun of Marketing. :)
 
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