Mags: Never seen one vibrated off before
Just one example: blokes with long legs in the 55 Baron often find they have bumped the RH mag switch back to one mag. THere are several aircraft types that use toggle switches (the same as all the other switches) for mags/CDIs, easy to knock one off while intending to turn something else on/off.
I once watched a Cheiftain hot shot with fast hands all over the cockpit reach up after take-off to turn off the High pumps. Hit both switches at once, but of course he had put his hand on the right mag switches, hadn't he? Turned them back on real quick too
...different scenario to pre-landing but to err is human (to Arrr is...) and these same types of errors can be made at any stage of flight. Good check systems will catch human errors/slips/mistakes. They should also be designed for the operational environment the aircraft lives in.
An airline or large charter op (or even the RAAF I imagine), with pilots assigned to one aircraft type only, is the ideal situation for ensuring the crews learn ONE way to do things one ONE type. It is the perfect setup for ensuring the quality of cockpit procedures - but it is not relevant to everyone.
Flying school/Aero Club operations need to have a system that is applicable to all pilots using a varied fleet of aircraft, regardless of the pilot's experience level and recency.
For example in my operation the line pilots could be flying any one, or several, of 4 single-engine types (152 up to C210) and 4 multi engine types (Baron thru to C421) in any given day. The options are either have a common set of procedures and checks (with some obsolesence) that can apply to all types, or have a different written checklist - or "do"-list - for each and mandate the pilots have it pulled out for every stage of every flight.
I'd be happy to hear any other suggestions for the multiple aircraft-type operation, cos I'm pretty sure I haven't got it perfect yet
