Every flight starts with procedures and checklists for ensuring we follow all of its steps correctly. We have procedures for preparing the aircraft for flight, we have procedures for how to depart the airport and we have procedures for returning. These procedures are designed to help the pilots ensure that the aircraft is operated safely, that steps aren’t forgotten and so that we are led toward a path of safety and away from risk.
To a new pilot, these procedures can feel cumbersome and perhaps a bit overwhelming. There is so much to know for someone who is just starting to become a pilot. There is also comfort knowing that if you do something the same way time after time, that the result will be the same. That’s all well and good, but checklists aren’t the only things a pilot should be devoting attention to.
