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Check List

Webb

Webb

Well Known Member
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Does someone have a down and dirty check list used prior to take off they care to share? Looking for a one pager that you can laminate and run through quickly when you do your last minute check.
 
Not exactly

I looked at the POH for the 7A but haven't checked out the others. I am hoping someone has a streamlined one. Otherwise, I'll compile my own.

Goal is 1 page, laminated, quick and easy to use.
 
Quick and easy:

BEFORE TAKEOFF​


a) Brakes -- SET
b) Flight Controls -- FREE and CORRECT
c) Flight Instruments ? SET
Altimeter ? CORRECT PRESSURE
D/G ? CORRECT HEADING
G-Meter ? RESET
GPS ON
Flight timer ? RESET
Hobbs time -- NOTE
d) Fuel Selector Valve ? MOST FULL TANK
e) Circuit breakers ? RESET
f) Auto pilot -- OFF
g) Mixture -- RICH (below 3000?)
h) Elevator Trim ? NEUTRAL
i) Flaps -- UP
j) Throttle -- 1700 RPM
1) Magnetos -- CHECK (125 max drop, 50 differential)
2) Carb heat -- CHECK
3) Engine Instruments ? NO ALARMS
4) Throttle -- IDLE
i) Radios -- SET
j) Fuel Boost Pump -- ON
k) Transponder ? ALTITUDE
l) Passenger ? READY and willing
m) Strobe lights ? ON
n) Sunshade ? RETRACT
o) Canopy -------- Main Latch ? SECURE
 
GIFT STP Canopy canopy belt belt controls

Webb said:
Does someone have a down and dirty check list used prior to take off they care to share? Looking for a one pager that you can laminate and run through quickly when you do your last minute check.
Click to expand...

My 'quick and dirty' is verbal, and is said out loud and while pointing to things mentioned at the runup area after mag check and just before taking the active - if interupted I start over. Even the wifey and kiddos know this one...(taught to me by my transition traininer (Alex D).

"GIFT STP Canopy canopy belt belt controls"

G - Gas select on full tank
I - Insruments (baro set on both altimeters)
F - Flaps (for takeoff)
T - Trim (for takeoff)

S - Strobes ON
T - Transponder ALT
P - Pump ON

Canopy Canopy - check both side lock and top latch

Belt Belt - check pilot and pax belts in place and locked

Controls - Free and correct.


I know it's not the most complete, but as a friend says, "it covers the KILLER items".
 
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Quickie Universal Checklists-WWII era

The old heads I've flown with used these two for universal checklists.

For Takeoff-CIGAR TIP

C-controls
I-instruments
G-gas(fullest tank /primer locked)
A-aircraft preflight completed
R-runup

T-trim set
I-interior ready-belts. maps, charts,etc and pax brief
P-prop set

For Landings-GUMP

G-gas fullest tank
U-undercarriage down
M-mixture rich
P-prop set

From airline and military checklists, pre-takeoff checklists were often completed 'down to the line.' That meant that we were ready to go with the exception of a few items that could/should wait until we had clearance to go.

There's no use sitting number one waiting for a clearance or for traffic with some items on. Basically, in an RV , the 'below the line' items that I use and come on as I start onto the runway:

Canopy closed
Boost pump on
Transponder Alt
Strobes on
 
My Heros

Doug and Vern - My heros

As it was put "the killer items". I've used the paper list and GUMPS but have not had an acronym for the last look around.

The last second check is EXACTLY what I was looking for.
 
My checklists, Rev 1

Webb,

I made up a one-pager that covers preflight to shutdown. It's printed front and back (landscape), then laminated and folded in half for use (Smokey will recognize the layout...stolen from the layout we use in our LUV-jets). It's compiled from my builder's original POH, some other checklists I've seen and some personal experience and preferences. It flows in the order of my switches and cockpit setup, so tweaking may be needed to fit your aircraft and preferences (if you like it ;)). I use CIGAR for Runup and GUMPP for landing (like others mentioned above), and I even did a little tweaking after seeing some of the others' nice input here. On the Before Takeoff checklist, I run it "down to the line" as Vern said above (through Trim), then taking the runway, it's Lights, Pump, XPNDR, Annunciator, Final Clear...off we go). I sent you the original file via e-mail, and would be happy to send it to others for checking out and tweaking for their use. I'll see if I can post a pic of it below. Very interested in your (and others') feedback:

slide1mf7.jpg


slide2tk5.jpg


Cheers,
Bob
 
Last edited:
Thanks Bob

I like the complete list and think I'll use it in my POH as well as a laminated one sheet for inflight.

My original thought was for the quick, say it to yourself outloud just before you mash the black knob to the wall.
 
One of my instructors used to have me say this as a verbal before takeoff checklist: I Can Fly This

Instruments
Controls
Flaps & Fuel
Trim & Transponder

This was always after having gone through the paper checklist. A few times it has kept me from taking off with the transponder on stby...
 
My great flight instructor Doug Weiler helped me develop this checklist:




It definitely has an airline slant, but they truly do know this business. I stick this right on the panel, never have to dig for it. I first do the checklist from memory, then put one finger on each item as I check them.
 
another WWii universal

Can I get f---ed, pretty reasonable tonight, lets gitt

controls
instruments
gas (qty and selector)
flaps
props
radios
trim

runup here
taking the runway

lites
eng gages
trim
gas, (tank and boost pump)
inst (dg on rwy hdg)
shutters (cowl flaps, oil doors, canopy)
tailwheel (locked or engaged)
transponder
time
 
another WW II engine failure memory items

Glide
Gas
Gear
Flaps
mixture
prop
ignition
heat
canopy
harness
 
Webb said:
I like the complete list and think I'll use it in my POH as well as a laminated one sheet for inflight.

My original thought was for the quick, say it to yourself outloud just before you mash the black knob to the wall.
Click to expand...

Webb,

Concur...I've been working with this to come up with the right mix of easy, logical flows (sequential steps done from memory, that move logically across the panel) verified by short, managable checklists (more stealing from work ;)).

Kind of a work in progress, as I get to know my airplane. Went up today after my earlier post, and decided to adjust the after landing flow and checklist a bit, putting flaps up first (after clearing the runway) to match my habit pattern at work. Little tweaks to improve. I still feel mine may be a bit long, but since it's often just one set of pilot eyes in the cockpit, I have a little redundancy built in.

Having an acronym or phrase helps, and I think that is the crux of what you are looking for. I like what the others have said here...some great ideas! In the 737-200 (when we still had 'em), some guys used "Knees, V's, E's, Flaps, Trim, Gas (controls, v-speeds, EPRs, etc.) to cover the killer items. In GA aircraft, I've heard "lights, camera, action" (for LL and strobes, xpndr, throttle up). I wanted to pick up the killer items too, so in my flow and checklist, I touch the canopy latch, the seat belt, the flap handle and trim knob (flows down, across and forward, and gets me "down to the line"), then when cleared on and just before taking the runway, it's lights, pump, xpndr, annunciator, final clear (it flows L-R across my switches, then up to the top of the panel, then out the window...and "final clear" is another call borrowed from work).

I'm ramblin' now (again), but wanted to say some nice ideas expressed here...and Alex, if you don't mind, I may steal that idea and try to come up with a placard-like set-up as you showed (for a VFR mission in my case). Good stuff!

Nice thread Webb, and looking forward to your first flight report! :D Is "Sting" back from the paint barn?

Cheers,
Bob
 
Last edited:
DeltaRomeo said:
My 'quick and dirty' is verbal, and is said out loud and while pointing to things mentioned at the runup area after mag check and just before taking the active - if interupted I start over.
Click to expand...

I point and talk to myself in the KC-10 when checking/verifying things as well, both in the back (usually I'm alone) and up-front (where I'm the fourth set of eyes). When I was in Boom Operator training, my primary instructor didn't like it at all since it wasn't "his" technique, but he couldn't bust me on it since the Chief Instructor didn't have a problem with it.

Not too long ago I was up-front doing my pointing/talking-to-myself thing during the "Before Landing" checklist, and the Standardization/Evaluation pilot who was riding the jumpseat and giving a pilot checkride, asked me what I was doing after the third of 7 planned touch 'n go's. I told him I was verifying the "killer items" for my own personal comfort. He seemed quite impressed with what I was doing, and made a point of mentioning it in the debrief.
 
Last check

Thanks Bob,

I went by the paint shop today and went away with the wheel fairings. They look "wet" and I am so pleased. They'll shoot the wings, tail, and fuselage in the next day or so but they want to keep the wings hanging for a few days before putting back in the craddle so the paint can't get any marks. I'll be hanging everything the weekend of Oct 11th. To tell you how nice the paint looks, the guy in the hanger across from mine started to pick up a piece of fiberglass and pulled back his hand and asked if it was wet.

As far as the last second check list, I really like the CIGAR TIPS but plan to add an extra P and make it TIPPS. Since I am an advid cigar lover, it works out well.

I also like the more extensive list I have seen to put in the POH and use as a primary list.

Many thanks to all that have responded. It is hopeful that it will help others be safe because I know it will help me.
 
Webb said:
Thanks Bob,

I went by the paint shop today and went away with the wheel fairings. They look "wet" and I am so pleased. They'll shoot the wings, tail, and fuselage in the next day or so but they want to keep the wings hanging for a few days before putting back in the craddle so the paint can't get any marks. I'll be hanging everything the weekend of Oct 11th. To tell you how nice the paint looks, the guy in the hanger across from mine started to pick up a piece of fiberglass and pulled back his hand and asked if it was wet.

As far as the last second check list, I really like the CIGAR TIPS but plan to add an extra P and make it TIPPS. Since I am an advid cigar lover, it works out well.

I also like the more extensive list I have seen to put in the POH and use as a primary list.

Many thanks to all that have responded. It is hopeful that it will help others be safe because I know it will help me.
Click to expand...


EXCELLENT! You go "gar"! Look forward to the pix!

Cheers,
Bob
 
Checklist as a MS WORD Document

Here's mine which is an MS WORD doc and prints on an A5 page. (Which is about half of a US Letter page.)
It is specific to a Fuel Injected IO360 aand GRT instruments, but it could be modified.

Email me if you want the WORD file.

Pete.
[email protected]


 
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