Originally Posted by
A Squared
I'll concede that I've not been involved in primary instruction for quite a while, but I think that if a US PPL candidate "had a go without it" on his PPL checkride, he wouldn't pass the ride. Certainly the FAA's Airman Certification Standards has "Complete the appropriate checklist." sprinkled liberally throughout. Could you pass a checkride without a checklist in Oz? I'm asking. I don't pretend to know what goes on over there, but I'm not left with the impression that CASA is more flexible and understanding than the FAA.
For the record, I don't use a printed checklist in my personal flying. I use a combination of flows and mnemonics. But I think I'd be doing a PPL a disservice training him that way. I believe that a single engine Cessna may be saffely flown without using a printed checklist, but I don't think that belief is shared by the people who will be issuing the certificate.
A mnemonic IS an appropriate checklist, nobody is saying just jump in and go without any thought or flow!
Does the ops manual of the aircraft have a printed checklist as a required part to be on board?
What happens if you forget/lose your checklist?
I never even saw a printed checklist for my first couple of dozen aircraft types until I got to jets!
Even on heavy jets you follow a flow by memory and only confirm with a checklist.