Advice sought - Which checklist should I use?

[Another Biggles]

Hi All,

I recently moved to Madrid for study purposes, and to keep my flying skills reasonably proficient I've joined a school at the local airport (Cuatro-Vientos) which I intend to self-hire from. Having recently acquired my PPL, I would like some advice on the following:

The school I selected has their own checklists (something I've not come across before). I'll be renting their C-172 M, which I have little experience flying, as I learned on the C-152. I thought I'd use my own C-172 checklist that I bought at my previous club in the UK (it's published by AFE), but the school are using a version they created themselves (which I've copied and pasted below), and insist I use it as well.

Does it matter which one I use? Should I use theirs as it's their aircraft, or continue using mine as I'm familiar with the style in which AFE write their checklists? Or should I confer with the POH and see which checklist matches it most closely (I haven't had the chance to study it yet, but will insist on doing so next time I visit)?

I also came across a few things that I've not encountered previously:

1. During my check-ride with the school, the instructor insisted I use the carb. heat anytime the RPM drops below the green arc (approx 2,200 RPM on their 172 IIRC). Previously flying the C-152 in England, I'd been taught as a rule of thumb to use carb. heat below 2,000 RPM, and that I should use this rule in conjunction with common sense (e.g. be far more vigilant / pro-active with use of the Carb. Heat in known icing conditions, etc). As this school's aircraft appeared quite under-powered, we had the carb. heat on for far longer than I was used to. I found it a little odd considering that Madrid at this time of year is extremely hot and very dry (e.g. there was a large gap between temp and dew-point temp).

2. During the power checks, the instructor insisted we do a "full power" check. Is this normal procedure for the 172 M? Is it normal perhaps during "hot and high conditions"? Airfield elevation is approx. 2,200 ft amsl, and the temp when I flew was in the high 30's (Celcius)?

3. Also during the power checks, the instructor said it was normal to carry out a cut of the engine (his English wasn't good enough to understand precisely what this was for). He leaned the mixture until the engine started to splutter, and then advanced the mixture back to fully rich. Again, is this normal procedure? What might this check be for?

Advice on the above would be greatly appreciated. Is the school behaving oddly and should I move onto the next one? Or am I wrong? Should I get myself back to studying the Pooley's books / POH to remind myself of important information that I appear to have forgotten? I found a few similar threads on checklists during my search, but nothing that precisely answered my queires.

Below is the school's checklist (from their laminated A4 card in the aircraft). I haven't finished translating it all to English, so the "Emergencies" section is still in Spanish. Does it look acceptable to you?

CHECKLIST CESSNA-172-M

PREFLIGHT CHECK

Drain fuel tanks ... check
Chocks, pitot cover and tie-downs .....off

REVIEW OF CABIN

Documentation On board
Centre of Gravity Within limits
Trim Take-off
Controls Unlock
Parking Break Set
Carb Heat, Fuel & Mixture Check Off
Magnetos & Equipment Off
Battery On
Flaps Fully down
Fuel indicators check
External Electrical Review check
Battery OFF
Circuit Breakers In


“EXTERNAL REVIEW”


BEFORE START:

External Review Completed
Doors Closed
Pitot cover removed
Seat adjusted & locked
Harnesses Fastened
Fuel Tanks Both

ENGINE START (COLD)

Primer As Required
Battery ON
Anti-Collision light ON
Navigation Lights ON
Mixture Rich
Fuel Cut
LOOKOUT…Look round, CLEAR PROP
Magnetos Start


ENGINE START (HOT)

Battery ON
Anti-collision Light ON
Navigation Lights ON
Mixture Rich
Fuel Cut
LOOKOUT… Look round, CLEAR PROP
Magnetos Start

ENGINE START (FLOODED ENGINE)

Battery ON
Anti-collision Light ON
Navigation Lights ON
Mixture Cut
Fuel Full
LOOKOUT… Look round, CLEAR PROP Magnetos Start

When the Engine starts, Mixture Rich & 1,100 rpm

AFTER START:

Oil Pressure - Green Arc within 30 seconds
Alternator ON
Alternator Light Check Off
Ammeter Check
Fuel 1,100 rpm
Instruments Check
Avionics Master Switch…………….ON
Equipment COM/NAV ON
ATIS Check & Copy
Taxi Clearance Requested

TAXYING:

Flaps………………………Up & Check
Taxi Lights ON
Parking Brake quitar
Left Tank. Select 60 seconds.
Right Tank. Select 60 seconds.
Breaks check
Nose Wheel check
Stick & Ball check
Directional Giro check
Compass & Horizon check

POWER CHECKS:

Parking Position
Taxi Lights OFF
Oil Temperature Green Arc
RPM 1,700 rpm
Fuel Tanks both
Starter Motor Check
Suction 5”Hg +/-1
Mixture Set for 10 seconds
Carb. Heat check
Magnetos Check R & L

Max drop 125 rpm. Max diff. btwn Mags
50 rpm

Mixture check
Fuel neutral
Carb. Heat check
* Magnetos check masa(?)
Engine “Full Power” check rpm Max.

Reduce to 1,100 rpm

* Solo realizar en: primer vuelo del día

BEFORE TAKE-OFF:

Autopilot check Off
Flight Controls Free
Flap As Required
Trim Take-Off
Doors Closed
Harnesses Secure
Mixture Rich
Windows Closed
Take-Off Briefing Completed
Emergency Briefing Completed

ENTERING THE RUNWAY:

Authorisation Received
Final Approach Clear
Controls final check
Landing Light & Strobes ON
Transponder As Required
QMS(¿) Check

AFTER TAKE-OFF (400 FEET)

Speed Best Climb (Vy)
Landing light OFF
Flap Up

BEFORE DESCENT:

Approach Briefing Completed
Belt Secured
Selector both
Mixture Rich
Carb. Heat (outside Green Arc) ON

PRE-LANDING CHECKS:

Autopilot Check Off
Circuit Breakers In
Landing ON
Carb. Heat (outside Green Arc) ON
Mixture Rich
Engine Parameters Green
Speed White Arc
Flap As Required
Harnesses Secure

EXITING THE RUNWAY:

Flap Up
Landing OFF
Taxi light ON
Transponder OFF
Rodadura Check free and freq. correct
Trim Take-Off

PARKING & SHUT DOWN:

Radio - Notify Tower “Flight Terminated”
Equipment Com/Nav OFF
Engine 1,500 rpm
Mixture Cut
Magnetos When prop. stops “OFF”
Master Avionics Switch OFF
Master OFF
Lights OFF
Parking Brake On
Parasoles/Bloqueos/Calzos puestos

EMERGENCIAS

FALLO DE MOTOR:

Velocidad mejor planeo 70kts
Campo buscar adecuado
Mezcla rica
Calefacción al carburador ON
Deposito check R & L
Primer blocado
Magnetos check R & L
Master ON
Breakers dentro

Si recupera:

Calefacción OFF

Si no recupera:

Mezcla cortar
Selectora OFF
Magnetos OFF
Radio notificar
Transpondedor 7700
Elt Activar

LISTA DE VELOCIDADES

Vr 60
Vx 65
Vy 70
Vplaneo 70
Vfinal 75
V 10º-20º Flap 70
V 30º-40º Flap 65
Vo 49
Vo1 42

Puertas desbloquear/abrir
Cinturón y Harnéses puestos
Flaps (toma asegurada) FULL
Velocidad mínima posible
Master OFF

FALLO DE ALTERNADOR:

Alternador OFF 1 seg.
Breaker check
Alternador ON

Si no hay carga:
Alternador OFF
Carga eléctrica reducir
Avión aterrizar

Se dispone aproximadamente de 30’de
Batería desde el Fallo del Alternador.


FUEGO EN TIERRA:

Gases abiertos FULL
Mezcla cortada
Selectora OFF
Magnetos continuar arranque
Extintor aplicar si es necesario

Si el fuego continúa abandonar avión.

FALLO DE RADIO:

Circuito de fallo de radio publicado.
Esperar luces:

* Verde fija: “Autorizado a Aterrizar”

PUERTA ABIERTA:

Velocidad reducir a 70 kts.
Ventanilla opuesta abrir
Puerta cerrar

Thanks again for any help / advice / criticism.

Cheers,

A. Biggles

[thing]

Can't comment on your schools checklist as it's their checklist..

AFE, Pooley's checklists etc are generic. The best thing you can do is simply sit down with the POH and match it to your schools checklist, see if there's anything missing oradded.

At the club where I fly we tend to keep the same aircraft for centuries, we have our own checklists which are direct copies, tarted up a bit cosmetically of the POH for that particular individual aircraft.

[RTN11]

It's their aircraft, and their checklist, so yes you should use it. The way a school is authorised, their checklists are submitted to the authority and approved, so to not follow this checklist could cause problems with insurance. At least if you operate in accordance with their rules then they cannot come back on you to claim for any damage you cause to their engine if their operation is incorrect.

In reference to your other points

1. During my check-ride with the school, the instructor insisted I use the carb. heat anytime the RPM drops below the green arc (approx 2,200 RPM on their 172 IIRC). Previously flying the C-152 in England, I'd been taught as a rule of thumb to use carb. heat below 2,000 RPM, and that I should use this rule in conjunction with common sense (e.g. be far more vigilant / pro-active with use of the Carb. Heat in known icing conditions, etc). As this school's aircraft appeared quite under-powered, we had the carb. heat on for far longer than I was used to. I found it a little odd considering that Madrid at this time of year is extremely hot and very dry (e.g. there was a large gap between temp and dew-point temp).

There are plenty of threads specifically on carb heat, you seem to understand why you're using it. It's easier just to use it in accordance with their policy though. Over use of carb heat is effectively running the engine rich, which can in turn cause problems for plug fouling, and other intake issues for the engine. But these will be the school's problem to deal with, as it is their policy to over use it. To be clear though, there is a big difference between known icing conditions, and carb icing conditions.

2. During the power checks, the instructor insisted we do a "full power" check. Is this normal procedure for the 172 M? Is it normal perhaps during "hot and high conditions"? Airfield elevation is approx. 2,200 ft amsl, and the temp when I flew was in the high 30's (Celcius)?

Nothing wrong with doing a static full power check, may even find it in some POH. Most schools don't bother, and students are probably worse off for not knowing what figures they can expect. I've seen solo students reject take offs claiming low power, when it was well within limits and they had no idea what RPM to expect at full power on the ground.

3. Also during the power checks, the instructor said it was normal to carry out a cut of the engine (his English wasn't good enough to understand precisely what this was for). He leaned the mixture until the engine started to splutter, and then advanced the mixture back to fully rich. Again, is this normal procedure? What might this check be for?

Checks that the mixture control is working correctly? That's about all I can think of, not a check I perform myself. Checking a dead cut with the mags to off briefly then back on should be performed occasionally (not every flight, but maybe last flight of the day) to ensure that the mags are indeed off when the switch is in the off position, but doing a cut off check with the mixture is new to me.

[mad_jock]

Check the Mixture working and also will burn the carbon off the plugs which I suspect might be a problem if they are taxing around fully rich in high temps.

I have had a C172 that when you pulled the mixture back absolutely nothing happened. The boss thought I was talking bollocks and went to do a trial flight with it. He appeared an hour later with 6ft of cable in his hand after ripping the whole lot out trying to pull it because "the cable must of stretched"

[BackPacker]

All good points above. One thing to add: There may be things in the school checklist which deal with specific local procedures for their home base. For instance in all checklists of my club, which operates from a controlled field, you will find "Master On; Avionics On; Get ATIS; Request Startup; Avionics Off". Simply because we have to ask for startup clearance before we start. You won't find stuff like that in a generic AFE checklist or in the POH. So at the very least it's wise to compare the schools checklist to the POH and/or whatever other checklist you're familiar with, to catch things like this.

On the other hand - I once rented a DR400-160 (with which I'm very familiar BTW) from a different airfield. When I got in to be checked out by the check pilot I asked if they had an authorized checklist or something like that. "Nay, we just do things from memory here. Let me see how you get on" was the response.

[foxmoth]

When I got in to be checked out by the check pilot I asked if they had an authorized checklist or something like that. "Nay, we just do things from memory here. Let me see how you get on" was the response.

Yes, flown with (and in fact happy with that myself), setups like that, been the check instructor for a few groups now and always drawn up a checklist for new members if non existing, in some instances the aircraft being home built and not having its own - never insisted on people using it as long as they cover ALL the points, but I know some like a checklist.
If you are hiring and they have their own checklist I would ask them if they are happy if you use your own - they are the ones hiring you the aircraft. If I was hiring off a new place this is what I would do and, if during the checkout they insist on me using theirs then I would do so - once checked out they are not in the aircraft and you do things your own way.

[Maoraigh1]

3. Also during the power checks, the instructor said it was normal to carry out a cut of the engine (his English wasn't good enough to understand precisely what this was for). He leaned the mixture until the engine started to splutter, and then advanced the mixture back to fully rich. Again, is this normal procedure? What might this check be for?

Are you sure he advanced mixture to fully rich, or to max rpm point? Adjusting mixture for high density altitude.

[3 Point]

If you are renting their aircraft and they want you to use their checklist it's really a no brainer. By what authority would you ignore the aircraft operator's instructions and use a non approved set of procedures? How would that sound post-accident.

[Ebbie 2003]

Yes, use their checklist - maybe it has a something peculiar to their airplane.

Worst case it may be a requirement of their insurers - especially if there is something added.

Overall I suspect it's a case of rules are rules and this one has become corrupted from one intended to ensure at a check list is used.

I have several for my plane - I think that the Surecheck one is pretty good - I kind of collect them, can't resist when I see a new one to the market - have recently been impressed by the static stick on see through ones (you stick them on the window and an read them and look out at the same time - will be buying one for my Archer.

[AirborneAgain]

If you are renting their aircraft and they want you to use their checklist it's really a no brainer. By what authority would you ignore the aircraft operator's instructions and use a non approved set of procedures? How would that sound post-accident.
If you're a PPL and renting an aircraft for your own use, then you are the aircraft operator -- not the aircraft owner! Obviously the owner can put conditions on your use of the aircraft, but that's not the same thing.

[BackPacker]

By what authority would you ignore the aircraft operator's instructions and use a non approved set of procedures? How would that sound post-accident.

We're not talking about highly complex aircraft here. If you've done a proper preflight to make sure all control surfaces are present and connected, manage to get the engine running and past the runup checks, use a more or less correct flap setting for the phase of flight, retract and lower the gear when appropriate, and make sure you don't run the 'active' tank dry, chances are that your flight will be pretty non-eventful.

There is virtually nothing (except maybe the landing gear) in a light aircraft where not following the proper procedures/checklist will cause a serious problem, and where it is not glaringly obvious when you do something wrong.

[3 Point]

Airborne Again,

If I rent an aircraft from a school and fly it solo I am the aircraft Commander, not the operator. The role of the aircraft Operator remains with the school from which I rented it. When you go on a British Airways flight BA is the aircraft operator, not Captain X who is rostered to operate the flight for that day - he is the aircraft commander. Both have different roles and responsibilities!

Backpacker, complex or not there are certainly things which can get you in trouble if you don't do them right, that's why we have checklists!

"There is virtually nothing (except maybe the landing gear) in a light aircraft where not following the proper procedures/checklist will cause a serious problem, and where it is not glaringly obvious when you do something wrong."

Emmm...

Carb heat
Fuel pump operation
correctly leaning the mixture in cruise
using appropriate altimeter settings
using the correct combination of RPM/MAP to avoid damaging the engine


Etc Etc Etc

Basic point still stands. If it's my aeroplane and I rent it to you on the basis that you operate it in the way I want and you ignore that instruction how will that look at the post accident inquiry??

[BackPacker]

Emmm...

Carb heat
Fuel pump operation
correctly leaning the mixture in cruise
using appropriate altimeter settings
using the correct combination of RPM/MAP to avoid damaging the engine


Etc Etc Etc

That's what I meant. Nothing in here is serious or not glaringly obvious.

Carb heat: If the engine starts to run rough and lose RPM, the first thing you need to do is apply carb heat. You don't need a checklist for that. It's a memory/first action item in *every* aircraft equipped with carbs.
Fuel pump: The one you operate is a *backup* device, only needed in case the engine driven pump fails. Forgetting to turn on the electric fuel pump only makes a real difference in the unique situation that your engine-driven fuel pump fails right after take-off or just before landing - in all other cases the electric fuel pump will be off anyway, and turning it on should be a memory/first action item.
Correct leaning and correct combination of RPM/MAP: As far as I'm concerned this is right up there with "reduce throttle for the cruise" and "reduce throttle even further for landing" (or PAT and APT if you prefer). It's a memory item. If you need a checklist for this there's something wrong with your training.
Altimeter setting: It's something you do based on what ATC tells you, not a checklist item. You don't need a checklist to 'turn onto the heading' after ATC told you a heading, do you?

Now I fully agree that doing things *right* is obviously better for performance, endurance, aircraft longevity and whatnot. If you need a checklist for that, fine. If you can do it from memory, fine too. All I'm saying is that you need to put the whole checklist debate into the proper context: For the vast majority of light aircraft there is nothing on the checklist which will cause a very serious issue if you forget it or apply it in a different order, or is not glaringly obvious when you get it wrong. With the exception of operating the landing gear.

[3 Point]

So ...

What if you don't use a checklist and therefore forget to select the Booster Pump on prior to take off. You then have a mechanical pump failure at 50' and end up in the hedge before you have time to select the Booster Pump on??

What if you don't use the checklist and forget to select carb heat downwind, your carb ices up and chokes the engine which cuts on base leg and you now don't have any heat in the engine or any airflow to melt the ice and you crash short of the runway???

What if you fly a more complex aeroplane with super/turbo charger and by failing to refer to the available reference materials you set an inappropriate combination of mixture RPM and MAP resulting in a severely damaged engine????

What if you are cruising along on the Chatham pressure and you fly under the London TMA but, due to not using an en-rote checklist you forget to set the London QNH and end up busting the class A airspace???

Checklists exist to ensure we are prepared in advance for things which may happen and which would give us little time to respond if they did.

You can fly your own machine just as you like but, returning to thread; if you borrow, rent, lease or otherwise use my aeroplane and I say I want you to operate it in a particular way you have two choices. Either do it the way I (the aircraft operator) say or go find another aeroplane!

3 Point

[Another Biggles]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for the feedback - I find it all very useful and informative. I will continue to use their checklist, but compare it with the POH the next time I'm due to fly. I'll also clearly need to confirm with the school that my translations from Spanish to English are correct.

Maoraigh1 - the instructor definitely advanced the mixture back to fully rich. However, he carried out an additional check during the power checks, of leaning the mixture for some seconds before advancing the mixture back to rich. Perhaps this check and the complete cut were to check the mixture was properly working then? I will confirm with him when I next go flying and post an update on here.

Not to add fuel to the fire, but there were a couple of other factors I found difficult to get used to:

1. The ASI on this a/c was ringed with mph on the outside ring. There was no inside ring that I remember - instead, knots were marked on a tiny (and I mean small - like within the dimensions of a penny) scale at the centre of the ASI. It meant I kept having to remind myself not to fly according to the outer ring as I was used to, but to refer to the tiny ring in the ASI's centre (quite tricky to gauge when 10 knot indentations cover only a couple of milimeters or so). I will try taking a photo when I next fly (in about a week's time). Would it be considered bad practice to convert the v-speeds to mph so that I can make use of the more easily readable mph scale on the outside of the IAS, at least in the circuit, where I don't want to spend more than half a second glancing at the ASI?

2. During the emergency brief, the instructor mentioned landing ahead (or within 20 degrees either side of the nose) if the engine failed below 400' agl. However, above this height he mentioned that one should attempt a turn-back to land somewhere within the airfield's perimeter, on the basis that not far beyond the threshold there is nothing but apartment blocks.

I realise that landing on a road full of cars and people can't be a good thing, but I've also had it drummed into my head from day one of training that turning back will likely get you killed. I realise this is an age old debate (I've read numerous threads on here about this), but turning back even in the face of buildings still made me feel uncomfortable. What would you do? Or might I see this as my first real test of airmanship were an engine failure to actually arise (touch wood it doesn't)?!

Again, thoughts / feedback appreciated, especially if critical :)

Regards,

A. Biggles

[BackPacker]

I realise that landing on a road full of cars and people can't be a good thing, but I've also had it drummed into my head from day one of training that turning back will likely get you killed. I realise this is an age old debate (I've read numerous threads on here about this), but turning back even in the face of buildings still made me feel uncomfortable. What would you do?

What I would do, and in fact what I have done, is establish the amount I can turn and associated height loss, with the engine at idle. I know that I need a full 1000' to make a 225 degree turn one way, and then 45 degree the other way, to land on the reciprocal runway. I also know the technique I need to employ to make these numbers. And I know 90 degrees will take about 300 to 400 feet, a 180 will take about 600-800 feet.

Depending on your actual altitude (well, height actually), that tells you your options in case of an engine failure.

It's not that hard to establish these figures for your aircraft. Find an altitude block from, say 2000 to 3500 feet. At 2500 feet establish the conditions for the initial climb (take off flap, full power, Vx or Vy as appropriate). When the aircraft climbs through 3000 feet close the throttle, stuff the nose down to the proper glide attitude, turn 90 degrees with 45 degree bank (which is the optimal bank angle for this), roll out on heading and notice the height loss. Rinse, repeat for any turning amount you will want to know about. 90, 180 and 225/-45 make the most sense.

[Pilot DAR]

A checklist is just that. You check things while you're referring to it. Though at times, it morphs into an operating procedure, it's really not.

You write a shopping list, so you don't forget things. That shopping list does not tell you to park the car in the lot, get a shopping cart, and open the door to go in - that's training. Once trained, more training should not be required. If it is, than a more deep review of that person's capability is required.

I think that bored flight schools sit on rainy days and dream up more things to put on the checklist, 'cause it makes them feel that they are contributing to aviation safety. The manufacturer has already made, and approved the plane as safe, and written what you need to keep it that way.

The 172M comes with an entirely appropriate checklist in the POH. If you are given a different one, I would have to wonder why - the Cessna one is the one approved for the aircraft. Perhaps that 172 has an STC'd mod, which requires more checklist. If so, there will be an approved Flight Manual Supplement (FMS). Its Emergency and Normal Procedures sections (as applicable) will contain additional checklist items. An example of this would be to check the landing gear position before landing if that 172 were an amphibian.

If the operator of the aircraft has certain ways that they like to have things done, those would be "operating procedures", which are their privilege as the owner. However, those should be conveyed as a policy/procedure to the pilots, they are not checklist items.

If you get into a rental aircraft and operate it with direct reference to the POH and FMS, you meet all of the legal requirements. If you have a supplemental checklist, and you as the pilot accept that it contains the information which parallels the POH/FMS, it's okay to use it, but it should not be a policy/procedure document - it just overloads you as the pilot, and causes un-necessary distraction.

Eyes out, you're flying VFR, the use of eyes in documents should be the bare minimum required to assure safe operation of the aircraft.

[RTN11]

1. The ASI on this a/c was ringed with mph on the outside ring. There was no inside ring that I remember - instead, knots were marked on a tiny (and I mean small - like within the dimensions of a penny) scale at the centre of the ASI.

Very common to find this, and you'll likely find the V speeds in the POH in MPH. I would certainly learn the MPH figures and use those for this particular aircraft. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what you use as long as it's the correct speed, you only need the units for navigating. The ASI could just as easily be calibrated in millibars, and still be a useful reference for flying, just not for navigating.

2. During the emergency brief, the instructor mentioned landing ahead (or within 20 degrees either side of the nose) if the engine failed below 400' agl. However, above this height he mentioned that one should attempt a turn-back to land somewhere within the airfield's perimeter, on the basis that not far beyond the threshold there is nothing but apartment blocks

This is a whole separate thread, and if you search you will probably find one. It's certainly a divided discussion, and I believe the RAF did some testing on the subject, coming up with a figure around 600' to land back. To successfully achieve a turn back to land though you certainly need the correct combination of wind, aircraft glide ability and runway length, together with your reaction time.

For a low hours student or fresh PPL my advice is always to land ahead as it gives you the best chance of walking away, whatever the state of the aircraft afterwards. If you read through accident reports the most common for turning back with an engine failure is home builds, where the owner has so much emotion invested in the aircraft that they cannot face it being destroyed in a field straight ahead, even if he would survive the crash. However more often than not in these cases they over bank trying to turn back, stall, spin, and kill themselves.

[foxmoth]

1. The ASI on this a/c was ringed with mph on the outside ring. There was no inside ring that I remember - instead, knots were marked on a tiny (and I mean small - like within the dimensions of a penny) scale at the centre of the ASI. It meant I kept having to remind myself not to fly according to the outer ring as I was used to, but to refer to the tiny ring in the ASI's centre (quite tricky to gauge when 10 knot indentations cover only a couple of milimeters or so). I will try taking a photo when I next fly (in about a week's time). Would it be considered bad practice to convert the v-speeds to mph so that I can make use of the more easily readable mph scale on the outside of the IAS, at least in the circuit, where I don't want to spend more than half a second glancing at the ASI?

I certainly would be using the MPH figures - and writing them in big on my knee pad until I was used to the different numbers. Do be carefull how you do this though if for example the approach speed is say 57 kts in the POH this equates near enough to 65 MPH, if, as often happens they have rounded this up to 60kts you then get 69MPH, you then round that up to 70 and you are 5MPH too fast. Quite often though the POH will have it in both units.

On the subject of turn backs, remember you do not HAVE to land back on the runway so you do not need BPs a full 1000' to make a 225 degree turn one way, and then 45 degree the other way, to land on the reciprocal runway, yes, if you have the height and can do that, fine, but on a big enough airfield just a 90 turn might put you inside the airfield boundary and less than 180 almost certainly will - If you are regularly flying from somewhere that straight ahead is a problem I would say practice this at height - with an instructor if you are not happy to try it solo, and just see what you can achieve.

[Ka6crpe]

At our club we get visiting pilots from time to time who use different checklists to our standard one. This is particulalry obvious with Australian Glider pilots, but also common with USA pilots wanting to hire our C172M.

Our standard practice is to ask them what checklist they normally use then compare it to ours to ensure that nothing will be missed. As long as all points are covered then we would prefer that use the one they are familiar with rather than make them learn a new one.

[A and C]

As said by pilot DAR above the legal document is the POH and it has a check list in it, that is the ONLY legal way to fly the aircraft....... IAW the POH.

Very few airlines now stray very far from the manufacturers flight manual for legal reasons and I would advise any pilot to use the checklist from the POH for the same reason.

[AirborneAgain]

If I rent an aircraft from a school and fly it solo I am the aircraft Commander, not the operator. The role of the aircraft Operator remains with the school from which I rented it.
This is an interesting, if perhaps peripheral, question. I guess it depends on how you define "Operator". The term is commonly used in the context of commercial operations, and indeed I cannot find a definition of this term except in the context of commercial operations. In Annex 6, ICAO defines an "Operator" as "A person, organization or enterprise engaged in or offering to engage in an aircraft operation." If we accept this definition also for private flights, then I would say that the owner of a rented aircraft does not "engage in" the aircraft operation -- the person renting the aircraft does. Of course, if the flight is part of the flight training offered by the school, then it is a different matter.

In practical terms, the operator has certain rights and responsibilities in respect to the aircraft operation in which he is engaged. In the case of aircraft rental for private flights, I don't see that the owner has any responsibilities in respect to the operation of a rented aircraft. That rests entirely with the PIC -- such as the responsibility to use an appropriate checklist.

When you go on a British Airways flight BA is the aircraft operator, not Captain X who is rostered to operate the flight for that day - he is the aircraft commander. Both have different roles and responsibilities!
Yes, but we're talking private flying here!

[Pilot DAR]

not Captain X who is rostered to operate the flight for that day - he is the aircraft commander.

And the aircraft "commander" (though I think of myself as just a "pilot" - no bars on my shoulders) of any aircraft is responsible to operate the aircraft in accordance with and within its approved limitations. These limitations will nearly always include a checklist provided in the Flight Manual approved with the aircraft. NOT a checklist concocted by well meaning flying school owners on rainy days.

[tecman]

I don't think you need over-cook this too much. As the Pilot in Command (that's a term our rules in Oz use, and may be more widespread) you're required to exercise good judgement. The minimum checklist is that in the POH and if an owner/operator requests sensible extensions, there's no harm in that. All you have to do is check that the owner's list is consistent with that in the POH. With something like a C172, it'd be remarkable if there was any significant difference, particularly if the owner is a mainstream flying school.

While you need a written version of the checklist handy, do yourself a favour and commit it to memory as well. There's such a thing as professional pride even amongst us PPLs :)

Occasionally aviation turns up some identifiably odd characters who operate their aircraft outside the manufacturer's guidelines and, very occasionally, dangerously. I recall one guy who absolutely insisted that people hiring his PA24 should approach at 85 kt and not use more than half flap - ever. Despite all demonstrations to the contrary, he was quite insistent and, life being too short to argue the point, I moved on. Easy enough to find another aircraft but I felt sorry for him in his lack of appreciation of one of the best-handling aircraft around.

This experience is very much the exception, though. Most owner/operators are sane people who enjoy comparing notes about flying and, over time, we synthesize the good ideas of others - all the time making sure the aircraft is operated in a way consistent with the POH. It is actually really important to read and understand the POH and gain a basic knowledge of the aircraft systems: as you fly more complex aircraft, more idiosyncrasies creep into critical areas such as fuel management, flaps and undercarriage operation during go-arounds, etc.