Forget The Checklist

Every Flight Manual, every Pilots Operating Handbook and every aftermarket pilots guide contains checklists. Normal and emergency, and in some airplanes, abnormal and alternate procedures checklists attempt to cover most situations youre likely to encounter. The FAA, instructors and authors (myself included) expend great effort trying to get pilots to use printed checklists. So it may seem odd to read there are times when a printed series of steps is too cumbersome to use. There are some times when you should forget the checklist. Most in-flight situations are not so time-critical that forgetting to move a switch or control spells immediate disaster. These conditions provide enough time for you to make inputs or move controls, then as time permits pull out a checklist and verify you have forgotten nothing. For instance, when leveling off from climb to cruise you may forget to close cowl flaps; the engine may cool rapidly as airflow accelerates, and cooling drag may prevent the airplane from reaching its maximum speed. But the engines not going to quit, and the airplane isnt going to fall from the sky. Level off, then as time permits reference a printed checklist to catch and correct your omission.

Key Takeaways:

• While aviation checklists are crucial for safety, certain time-critical in-flight situations necessitate immediate, memorized actions rather than consulting a physical checklist.
• The article introduces several mnemonic phrases for these critical immediate actions, such as "Push it Down" for engine failure after takeoff, "Power, Pitch, Positive Rate" for go-arounds, and "Switch Off, Open Up" for electrical fires.
• Pilots should identify and commit to practiced memory the "bold print" (most critical) items from their aircraft's normal and emergency procedures, using the printed checklist primarily for verification after these immediate steps are executed.

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