The least checklist

[PilotDAR]

So we've had a lot of talk [write] recently about the use of checklists, and what they should comprise. A small part of my work is to write them for TC approval. I try to keep them as short as I can. I don't sit asking myself what I should include, I sit asking myself what I can afford to exclude.

What overlooked item (not type specific) actually has a high risk of causing injury or damage before you can notice the oversight, and correct things?

My thinking is:

Are you flying in a way in which collision is imminent?
Are you maintaining the speed required for safe flight in that configuration?

These two are so far up the safety scale, do we need to express these as checklist items? They are basic flying skills: Keep it flying, but no into something.

landing gear position - yeah, we gotta get this right. This should be too basic to need to be included on a checklist- and, if you're going to forget the gear, you've probably long since forgotten use of the checklist!

Fuel - yeah powered planes have to have it. We pilots know that, do we need to read about it during each use of the checklist? You just know that you should carry and manage it, right?

What other things should make it on to a very minimalist checklist? Those things which would otherwise go un noticed or undetectable, yet are going to be be really bad if missed?

Once the engine is running, it is unlikely that forgetting something about it is going to change it from running to not running. If you're looking for more power, and have forgotten something - like "prop fine", you're going to notice, as you open the throttle....

Flaps? You're going to notice the plane is flying "wrong", while it is still flying, and you can select them as required.

Lights? Yes, "be seen" is good. "See" is kind of self evident. But even if you forget the nav lights at night, you're probably going to make it...

Now cowl flaps can be overlooked, and you could cook engines before you notice...

Forgetting fuel pumps at certain times could end badly if the engine driven pump quits...

Forgetting alternators - that can become a bigger problem later, when you hurt yourself trying to hand prop something you should not...

Forgetting to lock the nose baggage door on a Navajo could end badly, if it opens in flight...

Deflating the door seal before opening a door is a good thing to know to do....

I know that when I used to fly a Caravan, I would use the checklist pre start, to assure that I did not start with bleed air selected, for example...

And there are many other examples, particularly type or class unique, which justify the use of a checklist. So I have talked myself into checklists being necessary - but not for things like landing gear position, seat belts on/doors closed, flap position, passenger briefing and freedom and correctness of flight controls - those are just the basics! Those are just airmanship!

Pilots who refer to very wordy checklists can end up reading it like a shopping list, but not actually verifying that the item has been checked. I have caught pilots doing this, reading the checklist, not actually verifying the action, and it was not actually done - but they read the checklist!

So maybe checklists begin with:

Airmanship - Use, throughout the flight
Configuration - Assure for each phase of flight
and then, only the most critical of those important and undetectable "gotchas"....

Yes, I have flown a flight in a Navajo, with the torque link not connected! Funny how I was able to taxi out and takeoff, and not even notice no steering!, But I sure would have if I'd lost an engine during takoff, or had the nosewheel cock in the bay. But, it was not a checklist item!, and I had not disconnected it since the plane's last flight - my fault, but a systemic trap I fell into... I failed to assure configuration for taxiing.

Checklists must be effective, but minimalist...

[jschnurr]

With close to 800 PIC in the 'ho, I can "feel" when it is not right. Examples include gear or flaps up on descent, cowl flaps open in cruise, that spidey sense when the outboards are almost empty, ect. I get the airplane feeling right, then back up the actions I did with the checklist.

It takes experience and common sense to feel when the airplane isn't "right". This doesn't come overnight, and it doesn't come if you don't have "machine sense". For those people, the checklist is essential to prevent bent metal or damaged engines. In the heat of the moment, not everyone would notice if the props were not fine on a go-around.

On a tangent, I also try and connect certain things with verbal cues when I can. Landing lights come on with landing clearance, and I confirm gear down when the G530 calls "FIVE HUNDRED" for example.

[Krimson]

On a navajo, inside the FAF, double check 3 green. Everything else won't kill you or bend metal.

[North Shore]

I'm going to take a contrarian tack here. I feel that small/minimal checklists are OK for professional pilots who are flying every 2-3 days, and may have dozens/hundreds/thousands of time on type to fall back on.
In terms of AvCanada though, this issue seems to be driven by people's disdain of 'four-barred right seat captains doing 10 mile circuits because of bible-length checklists'. But, if you are teaching a complete rookie, who may or may not have any prior mechanical operating experience ('feel'), I think that a lengthy (within reason) checklist has its place - as you are hammering into people the very things that, while they might be second nature, and obvious to experienced pilots, aren't necessarily so to rookies. A 250+ hour-ed instructor should be able to get by with a simple 'left-to-right-and-down' flow check on a (say) 152; their freshly minted 55 hour ppl, coming off a two/three/four month winter layoff, not so much.


!*INCOMING*!

[AOW]

Is pretty basic, but gets the job done.
They even have one for fixed gear, variable pitch:


Although, ironically, the same company offers a 28 page C150 checklist. You can even view it in all its glory online!

[iflyforpie]

Why burn up $200/hr in the circuit getting maybe four takeoffs and landings in when perhaps a cockpit poster or sitting in the airplane or armchair flying might help you get back into the swing of things.

IMHO... long checklists are actually worse than no checklist at all for an inexperienced pilot. Chances are... after dropping the list because his or her hands were sweaty... and not remembering where they were... they might forget something important like fuel on fullest tank or gear down.

Sure... start an interrupted checklist right from the beginning .... "... Alpha Bravo Charlie... we're showing you clear of the zone at this time.... your intention was a touch and go".

[Koalemos]

The biggest problem with checklists aren't the checklists, it's the people using them.

I have seen countless pilots in airline ops, sitting both right and left seat, machine gun through "Command and Response" checks in order to just "get them done". You can sit there and basically say anything (even nonsensical) in response and they'll just barrel through, without really listening or cross checking. This isn't restricted to greenhorns either. A big part of the problem is that some Captains encourage the behavior, and get impatient when the FO doesn't do it fast enough.

Breathe people, sitting on the tarmac an extra 10 seconds isn't going to kill anyone, might even save your life by letting you do it right the first time. There's a difference between doing things efficiently (and ultimately saving time), and rushing through and mucking it up.

Edit: people doing checklists either at the wrong time, or when not needed (more an SOP issue) is also a big problem. Use them as the situation requires, not just because you think you need to read off a piece of paper like a mindless machine.

[AOW]

The 28 page transair checklist I linked to seems to fall under the "lets make up an acronym that can apply to as many different types as possible without having to change" mantra. So we know regardless of the type we are in, before takeoff you do a TTMMPPFFIHHCCC check, then FERA after takeoff, and FLEP through 1000', then HASELL before manoeuvres, then HELL between manoeuvres, then FREDA for cruise, then BUMFFLPICHH before landing, then (my favourite!) CRAP on final. One I actually don't mind too much is the in flight fire FFIRE check... that one at least makes sense.

This was certainly the school of thought when I got my glider licence, with CISTRSC before takeoff, and SWAFTS before landing (I may have forgotten some letters; there was another list I can't recall before manoeuvres). But those checklists fit easily on a placard in the cockpit... TTMMPPFFIHHCCC FERA FLEP FREDA HASELL HELL BUMFFLPICHH and CRAP in placard format would leave no room for avionics or instruments!

[iflyforpie]

I remember seeing one of those types of acronyms on a punch-type label plastered on the instrument panel on a plane I used to annual. It was like LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLL or something.... I had no idea what is was for.

[PilotDAR]

It was like LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLL or something.... I had no idea what is was for.

Was the plane based in Wales?

Thanks for those, AOW, I'm going to take them (not you) for a bit of a run....

First, all the items for which the response is "As Req'd", would not the sheer requirement be enough to remind the pilot o do them? If it needs to be trimmed, trim it! So after you've trimmed off the control forces, you're needing to read a checklist to confirm that you've trimmed off the control forces? There may as well be a checklist item which reads "Arm - check it is not getting tired"! "Start engine", Darn!*!, there I was at the hold short line, and I'd forgotten to start the engine!

Sure, I agree that checking trim position before takeoff is a good idea, set instruments, sure, mags on both, yup, good to check. So, checklists have a place, and should be used, but the more stuff is on the checklist, the more incentive to rush through it, and really not effectively use it. A checklist is like your mom holding your hand, eventually, you gotta do it on your own, without help. Yes, you're going to make a few mistakes, we all do. Just make them simple mistakes, which do not cause harm.

Configuration Assurance: "I am about to _________ this aircraft. To do that safely, I need the ___ ___ ___ ___ to be ___ ___ ___ ___. Are they that way?". If in those four or five critical items are not memory work for a type capable pilot - that pilot needs mentoring.

[Rookie50]

PD -- good perspective. I find in my own aircraft, since I've move to a flow, it's not only much faster but more thorough as well. My comment for those moving to a new type of aircraft, is to have items on the checklist tht might be new, like a boost pump for takeoff etc.

For me in the 182, I never flew an aircraft prior with flaps on takeoff before -- so flaps 20 is a good item, when I first got the aircraft -- just a check that it's done.

Now it's a flow and a quick glance -- but I actually do a number of pre-takeoff items right after start while warming the engine -- trims, (I set those before the prior shutdown) radios, flight plan, instruments, free and correct, boost pump check, alt static -- so pre takeoff is pretty quick after the run-up -- flaps, mixture, lights, time.

Think it does defend on how often you fly, how much ones head is in the game -- how much is automatic.

[single_swine_herder]

North shore ..... well stated.

Checklists can actually be used for more than one thing in aviation .... what a revelation.

Every now and then as I read the info on how anyone who is "a real pilot" should treat checklists with contempt and disdain, I think that home made ultra-minimalist checklists should just say .... "Forget everything the manufacturer says about flying this airplane because those test pilots don't know anything you don't, and just don't do anything stupid."

Then the employer in me says ..... these are multi-million dollar sophisticated pieces of equipment, and I want people to operate them the way I want them used a tools in a business.

In that respect, its no different than my getting ripped out of shape if somebody is using an expensive cold chisel to pry open a paint can lid.

It is after all, my operation's reputation on the line every day with every sector flown, and I'm the one that's responsible for an airline, not a playpen nor an experimental flying technique developmental workshop.

[PilotDAR]

and I want people to operate them the way I want them used.

Absolutely. As long as your desired operation does not contradict the manufacturer's approved techniques, or other regulation, you get to have the aircraft operated as you want.

To assure this, you will probably use a "standard operating guideline". This might have elements which find their way to a checklist in the aircraft, but again, you train your pilots, and you expect them to operate the aircraft as trained, perhaps using a brief checklist to assure this has been done. But you are not placing the entire SOP into the cockpit checklist, maybe just a couple of relevant points (Lifejackets - assure that each passenger is wearing theirs before a water takeoff - for example). The aircraft manufacturer probably did not include that in their checklist, so a float operation might wisely choose to.

The cockpit checklist does not tell the pilot to be at dispatch 45 minutes before departure time, and check the weather and notams. They know to do that from their training, and they will do it regardless of the aircraft type they are flying - because some "cockpit tasks" are not type specific.

[Docbrad]

Where I did my PPL training, we had a six page checklist. All of the checks that were done on the ground were done as a "to do" list. However, starting with the line-up checks, the checklists had to be committed to memory.

So even though the before landing check was written down, and checked things from brakes, prop, mixture mags etc. it was done very quickly, and more as a flow. We obeyed the checks for all appropriate phase of flight, but if the aircraft was in motion we never took the paper out.

That way things are done properly, efficiently, and nothing gets missed. Only time the checklist came out in flight was if we had to run through an "abnormal" check, such as the generator light illuminating.

Just my two cents

[AirFrame]

Checklists can actually be used for more than one thing in aviation .... what a revelation.

I used mine to kill a wasp that showed up in the cockpit when I was learning to fly... It was about the only time i've been thankful for a long, heavy checklist.

[Illya Kuryakin]

With close to 800 PIC in the 'ho, I can "feel" when it is not right. Examples include gear or flaps up on descent, cowl flaps open in cruise, that spidey sense when the outboards are almost empty, ect. I get the airplane feeling right, then back up the actions I did with the checklist.

It takes experience and common sense to feel when the airplane isn't "right". This doesn't come overnight, and it doesn't come if you don't have "machine sense". For those people, the checklist is essential to prevent bent metal or damaged engines. In the heat of the moment, not everyone would notice if the props were not fine on a go-around.

On a tangent, I also try and connect certain things with verbal cues when I can. Landing lights come on with landing clearance, and I confirm gear down when the G530 calls "FIVE HUNDRED" for example.

Okay, this kind of scares me. Throw in a wee bit of turbulence, and that warm fuzzy "feel" goes out the window. The hot chick (we all know she's hot) trapped inside the 530, might not call? You might not get a "landing clearance" in uncontrolled airspace? You have to develop an uninterrupted scan for certain stages of flight. Like before landing. You can easily miss that "feel" for any number of reasons. I've got 800 hours, before noon on Tuesdays, believe me, you can miss it. You are however striving to get it right. Just thought I'd toss this in.
Illya