Checklists

[Old Koreelah]

Can anyone supply some good, easily remembered pilot checklists (preflight, engine failure, nav, etc)

 

I'm making up some checklist cards and want to ensure I haven't missed anything.

 

Regards,

 

Lyle

 

 

[Guest check-in]

Do you mean written checklists, or memonics? If you do go down the written checklist path, you need to sit in the cockpit and write it in some logical 'scan' sequence - Left to Right or Top to Bottom etc. Which is fine up until you start to taxy, but thereafter until stopped at the end of the flight, a written checklist in a single-pilot aeroplane is not such a great idea. You need to look where you are going, not have your head down in the cockpit.

 

When I learned to fly in basic single-engine machines we never heard of written checklists. We were taught to scan in some logical sequence e.g. brakes ON, fuel ON, radios OFF, battery ON, beacon ON, start engine - immediately check oil, fuel, generators and suction, radios on etc.

 

Then for take-off we used a simple memonic which covered everything - even stuff not fitted to those simple aeroplanes but stuff we would have to contend with in the more complex machines later. One was TMPFISCH which was:

 

Trims - set

 

Throttle friction - firm

 

Mixtures - rich

 

Pitch (prop) - fine

 

Fuel - on, quantity, pumps (as appropriate to type)

 

Flaps - set for T/O

 

Instruments - suction, gyros etc

 

Switches (magnetos) - checked & on

 

Cowls - open (as appropriate to type)

 

Carb heat - checked & off

 

Controls - full & free movement

 

Hydraulic pressures (as appropriate)

 

Hatches (canopy) - locked

 

To cover landing it was BUMPFH being:

 

Brakes - off

 

Undercarriage (landing gear these days) - down 3 greens

 

Mixtures - rich

 

Props - fine

 

Fuel - on, pumps (as appropriate)

 

Hydraulic pressures (as appropriate)

 

For most RA aeroplanes you could cut out a lot of the above, but still have some sort of memonic.

 

No doubt others will have other memonics and yet others will espouse the need for a written checklist for everything. If you are hiring a school's aeroplane you will be obliged to go with what they do. If you are flying your own, why not develop your own method? The mere act of developing it will make it easier to remember. Keep it simple and logical so that you will always use it. If you get distracted or interrupted (e.g. on the radio half way through your pre-takeoff checks), just start again.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Thanks for the prompt reply.

 

The purpose of the cards is, as you suggest, to assist with memorizing the checklists. Although its tempting to make my own lists, I want to stay relevant to other types, which is why I'm looking for a standard (I'm surprised I can't find checklists on the net)

 

If anyone is interested, I'll add what I have so far. (I've adapted a couple of gems from gliding days, mostly because they were hammered so well into my memory!) Some need work because they are not easily memorized like CHAOTIC, or TBUMFISH

 

PILOT

 

I - illness

 

M - medication

 

S - stress/pressures (get-there-itis?)

 

A - alcohol/drugs

 

F - fatigue

 

E - eating

 

AIRCRAFT

 

Aircraft- exterior, pitot cover, vents clear

 

Ballast- load distribution

 

Controls - full & free, 'panel rises to meet control'

 

Dolly- tiedowns, pennants, etc

 

Engine-oil, bolts tight,

 

Fuel- sufficient, caps, connections, taps on

 

drain samples, smell, swirl, contaminants

 

ENGINE STARTING

 

Brakes on, throttle, choke set

 

Battery on, Main switch,

 

Fuel on, pressure up,

 

Ignitions

 

"STARTING UP, STAND CLEAR OF THE PROP" Crank

 

Oil pressure

 

Oil pressure, temp

 

Ignition check- left, right, both off momentarily, Carb heat.

 

Brakes off, Airbrake closed

 

Line up runway, compass check

 

PRE TAKEOFF

 

BRS- remove safety pin

 

Controls

 

Harness

 

Airbrakes

 

Outside

 

Trim

 

Instruments - temps, oil, alt, Compass, Canopy

 

CLIMBOUT

 

Full power, 60kt

 

@ 300ft- fuel pump OFF

 

@ 1000ft leave circuit

 

Power, Attitude, Trim

 

LEVEL OFF

 

Attitude, Power, Trim

 

Radios - Correct frequencies

 

Navigate

 

ENGINE OUT AFTER TAKEOFF

 

Airspeed - 50kt

 

Best place to land -in 60° arcXXXXX

 

Fuel - OFF

 

Ignition - OFF

 

Airbrake

 

Master Switch - OFFX

 

Battery- isolated

 

ENGINE OUT DURING CRUISE

 

Airspeed - 50kt

 

Carb Heat ON

 

Fuel- ON (SWITCH TANKS if applicable)

 

Fuel Pump- ON

 

Ignition Switch -BOTH (crank if stopped).

 

PRE LANDING

 

Traffic checks

 

Brakes

 

Undercart

 

Mixture

 

Fuel selector & quantity checked

 

Instruments - ASI, temps, pressures

 

Switches - Lights, fuel pump on

 

Harness & hatches

 

DOWNWIND LEG

 

Radio call on “Turning Base”

 

AFTER LANDING

 

Fuel pump OFF

 

Carby heat OFF

 

Lights & strobes OFF

 

BRS safety pin installed

 

 

[Guest check-in]

It's highly unlikely that you will find a 'standard' checklist due to the variety of different types, engines etc. Aircraft manufacturers usually publish checklists within either the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) or Pilot Operating Handbook (POH). However - to avoid possible litigation - these tend to cover every item you do and so often take the form of detailed instructions. Not a very user-friendly format once you are out there. For example the POH 'checklist' will likely say:

 

Seats - adjust until your eyes are aligned with (whatever reference point is applicable)

 

Rudder pedals - adjust so that you have full travel with legs extended

 

Seatbelts - fit 3 point harness

 

etc etc (so far these are 'airmanship' items so I would not consider putting them on my own checklist because it would end up too long, and anyway, if you can't remember this stuff, you will be in real trouble remembering what happens when you pull the stick back).

 

A typical AFM or POH checklist would probably even give a detailed engine start procedure such as:

 

Primer - operate 4 strokes if engine is cold, two if hot, then lock

 

Ignition - select 'both'

 

Starter - engage, release when engine is running

 

etc etc etc - stuff that you should be able to accomplish without referring to a checklist.

 

Summing up, a checklist should be restricted to essential SYSTEMS items only. Not to be confused with AIRMANSHIP items. Additionally, certain emergencies require MEMORY items. Engine fire on start-up for example, where you won't have time to be rummaging for a checklist.