So before landing prepare the a/c and then run the approach checklist
Exactly.
Far too often students are taught that the before landing actions and the before landing checklist are the same thing. They are not.
Typical Example -
Jonny is taught the typical memory actions - Brakes, off - Undercarriage, Down - Mixture, Rich -etc etc etc
Every time they fly, they carry out the actions but never run a checklist of any sort to check that the actions have indeed been done. When Jonny progresses to something with retracting undercarriage, they arrive downwind and start....Brakes, Off - Undercariage, Down (Moves lever) - Mixture, Rich..........and fail to note that they only have 2 greens. Far better to carry out the actions / flow from memory and then run a short checklist to check that the requires items have indeed been done correctly.
I would not get into much of an issue with regard to Challenge and Respond Checklists being for multi crew only. They are perfect for single crew also.
For those who have never flown multi crew, in an abnormal situation where a checklist must be run, it is normal for 1 pilot to fly the aircraft and look after the radio while the other pilot actions the checklist. The pilot actioning the checklist is doing just what a single pilot would do with a challenge and respond checklist -
Call out the item, Call out the Required Response, Check the indication / switch position etc and then Call out the Observed position
eg -
"Oxygen - Override"...(moves switch to override).....Override"
"No Smoking Signs - On".....(Checks switch position)....."On"
"Fasten Seatbelts - On".....(Turns on fasten seatbelts)...."On"
Note that in the above, the pilot tells themselves what the indication / switch position should be, they then compare the actual situation with the required situation and adjust as necessary and then when correct, announce the correct situation.
What they are doing is a "read and do" checklist. However, they are doing it correctly. They are reading the checklist, carrying out the action and then checking that the action has been completed.
1) The challenge and response methodology obviously does not literally apply with only one pilot so alternative approaches are necessary.
I don't necessarly agree 100%;
YouTube - Airbus A320 Video Training 2 of 32
Have a look at the above video of a simulator exercise. The part relevant to what I am saying here starts at about 3:10 when the non-flying pilot starts using a paper checklist in the read and do mode. Note how the checklist is actioned as a read and do checklist.
Compare that to what is done at about 5:25 when the after-take-off checklist is read. That checklist is backing up a flow / SOP and is being used simply as a check that things previously done have indeed been done i.e. no actions should be involved if everything is correct. I hope that you can see the big difference in how this checklist is read and how the read and do one is done.
As an aside, note where the hand remains while the flaps are moving i.e. note the LOI being used for flap retraction - "Speed checked, flap xxx selected, flap xxx indicated" and hand remains on the level until required indication is received.
Perhaps the one big thing that students and PPLs (and CPLs) can learn is that doing 50 checks in 10 seconds from memory is not cool / good.
These should IMO include carefully thought out flows so that the flow backs up the checks, and
2) I also believe that except for certain special circumstances the aircraft, should not be moving when carrying out any checks including flows, especially for ab intio training.
Checklists should back-up flows not the other way round.
Item 2 is 100% correct except that certain actions (flows) require the aircraft to be moving eg checking brakes, rudder and instriuments during taxi. Having said that. the taxi-checklist should only be actioned when the aircraft is stopped.