Check lists

[Chuck Ellsworth]

A question for flight instructors??

When training new pilots would the aircraft Pilot Operating Handbook ( For make, type, model, year, etc. ) check lists be the safest and best lists to follow?

Is it maybe best to stick to the P.O.H. check lists, or should you add on extra items to check for?

If you add items to the P.O.H. check lists why and for what purpose?

I would like to see a thoughtful discussion on this subject by those of you who are instructing.

After you have all had a go at this I will explain why I have asked this question.

This is a serious question,, no tricks, I promise.

.............................................

:D The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no. :D

[foxmoth]

I fly a variety of aircraft and when flting for myself always use a standard checklist (for light aircraft) that I learnt at an early stage and im sure is familiar to many. Having said that,before flying a new type I always read through that types checklist and handbook, and/or sit in the aircraft as necessarry to check there is nothing innapropriate in my normal drill.( I have yet to fly a light aircraft where the checklist I use does not work with some slight adjustment, ie. adding cowl flaps to the 'Engines' part of the check).
Also if instructing I use whatever checklist the club want for the student, otherwise it would be confusing for him/her.

[ 01 December 2001: Message edited by: foxmoth ]

[dragchute]

I would suggest that the only approved checklist is that contained in the relevant POH. Having made that statement one may devise a checklist applicable across the fleet that is incorporated into the company operations manual and approved by the state aviation authority. The fleet may include several aircraft types but with largely similar design features (eg. single engine, fixed pitch, fixed gear).

A simple checklist system is needed to ensure the ‘vital actions’ are performed prior to each phase of flight. Such a checklist system may be a mnemonic, scan pattern or printed list forming part of the aircraft equipment. Although some airmanship items are incorporated into checklists this tends to blur the perception of the student as to what constitutes a vital action and may lead to increased workload during an emergency or busy period. Vital actions are exactly that and do not need to include every desirable action constituting good airmanship.

Airmanship items should therefore be kept to the minimum in the checklist but hammered as a safe operating practice in the flight routine. They often take the form of a mnemonic such as HASELL or FREDA but the student should recognize the difference between the aircraft checklist and airmanship.

[foxmoth]

Many of the aircraft I fly do not have a manufacturers checklist as often they were made before this was standard!

[CaptAirProx]

I regularly teach on a brand new C172. The POH checklist is C**P. For instance it requires the pre-take-off checks to be completed b4 the power checks. Great in that it allows the engine time to warm up b4 the engine checks. However, the cockpit has been cleaned up a prepared for take-off and then levers are being pulled again. Something will eventually be left out where it should'nt. I have to admit that there is not much to go wrong in new C172 - no carb heat etc.
Because of this the club have introduced a checklist following a more logical and familiar flow taking into account the Operating Mauual. This means it represents much closer the C152 checklist.

My view, keep the checklist simple and in a logical flow. A lot of home made check lists tend to repeat items very frequently. To the inexperienced or high houred guy, this tends to lose the checklists importance and they tend to rush through the thing with very little thought.

[A and C]

I have to agree with you about the makers check lists on some aircraft ,but a number of companys have gone back to using them as some time ago the CAA issued a missive about non aproved checklists invalidating the insurance !.

The only way around this that i can see is to get the CAA to aprove the checklist you intend to use as they do for CPL flight exams then if something goes wrong the CAA can take the leagal flak.

[ 02 December 2001: Message edited by: A and C ]