Memorize the Checklist Boldface

Any talk of checklist types isnt complete without the concept of checklist boldface. So named due to its all-caps and emboldened print, these memory items ensure an initial response to an emergency when a written checklist wont be referenced until after the initial bold items are accomplished and the situation is stabilized. For example, only the first four items on this Quick Ref are memory.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, April 01, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Checklist boldface refers to critical, memory-based emergency procedures, often presented in all-caps and emboldened print.
These items are designed for immediate, initial responses to emergencies, executed before a written checklist can be consulted.
Their primary goal is to ensure essential actions are taken without hesitation to stabilize the situation and increase the likelihood of survival.

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Any talk of checklist types isn’t complete without the concept of checklist boldface. So named due to its all-caps and emboldened print, these memory items ensure an initial response to an emergency when a written checklist won’t be referenced until after the initial bold items are accomplished and the situation is stabilized. For example, only the first four items on this Quick Ref are memory.

When I taught primary Cessna students, our engine failure boldface was “GLIDE, CARB HEAT, PICK A FIELD.” I told them that if someone woke them from a sound sleep and said “engine failure,” I wanted them to yell out those exact words without hesitation.

A cockpit flow and written procedure followed, but I knew that if they did nothing else, the boldface steps should allow them to survive the encounter.