Cheating with ATC?
A well trained crew is normally quite able to operate an airliner safely, without any written check list.
At least without any kind of "do list" (procedural type).
So the check list is a "back up", a procedure to help verify that no essential action was missed.
- verify that essential actions
- were properly performed
- were properly performed before calling for the check list.
The good time to call for a check list is when the crew is ready, I mean, fully ready, for the next step.
So call for the "before taxi" Check List should happen when the aircrafte is fully ready for taxi. Except for the taxi clearence and the parking brake release ...
I have seen to many crews requesting taxi clearence well in advance, when they are not ready at all ... this being done in the hope to "gain" some better ATC sequencing. I call this "cheating". And I remember certain Spanish crews being educated by their company to do so.
For the same reason : many "checks" (actions) being delayed to be actually performed during taxi, instead of being done as far sas possible before moving ...
With the adverse consequences of hurrying up in the "before taxi" and before take-off actions and checks, if the taxi clearence come fast and the take-off clearence as well ...
With fatal consequences last year in Madrid ...
Poor technicians and pilots training, poor supervision ...