Originally Posted by
Genghis the Engineer
A rule I've tried to follow in writing checklists and manuals (I suspect I've written less than my learned friend DAR, but still quite a few) is that if not knowing, or following something can cause damage to an aeroplane, or worse, risk to life. But if poor airmanship or an omission will only embarrass the pilot - that's their problem.
Hence my checklists would never, for example, omit engine checks, but don't include setting the transponder before take-off.
G
I understand where you're coming from but I think the consensus view on transponders has changed in recent years. So if you (for example) leave your transponder on standby when you take off, and you have an airprox or worse with an aircraft descending on top of you because its TCAS hasn't seen you, that's a bit more than pilot embarrassment.
NS