Heads Down for Checklists - Who's Watching for Traffic?
One of the common faults I see in Flight Reviews, ( 24 in last 12 months - everything from C210 to Cubs), is that the pilots either have minimal checks, or it's a head down -read- it -out- job.
Lookout and scan is one of the really weak parts I see in Reviews, and reading out a bloody 5 page check list for a C172 only makes things worse.
There seems to be a blind faith that if you make a radio call of downwind,runway 36,Woop Woop , and there's no reply, that there's no need to look for anything, ever.
I'd sooner see a very basic mental checklist used, and the eyes used outside far more.
happy days,