Originally Posted by Bingofuel
A slight thread drift but having just read a thread in the military forum about someone distracted doing the walkround, it seems he was using a written checklist as an action list as he walked the aircraft.
I am curious how most people were taught to do a walkround, or opinions as to which is best and why
Is it:
1. Check each item on the written list as you go, one at a time.
2. Check say, the port wing, then review the checklist to see all items checked.
3. Look at the aircraft and do the walkround from memory, only using the checklist when in the seat.
In the RAF we were shown the Walkaround on the Wessex, given the written checklist and told to learn it. We just then did the walkaround, looking at stuff as we came to it. There was a lot more climbing involved than the average spamcan and a lot more oily bits.....
I take the same approach with GA, most aircraft are the same, you just need to know the little extras a particular type has and what is 'normal' in terms of play on the wobbly bits.
I have re-worked the cockpit checks for my new groupoplane so that they flow from the floor in the centre out to the left-hand panel to make it easier for me to learn them and not to miss anything so that I can drop the physical checklist once I am used to flying it a bit more