On 8/8/2005 09:14, Gary Drescher wrote:

"Mark Hansen" wrote in message
...
During my training (both PP-ASEL and IA) my instructors never had me use
the simple check lists (I always used check lists for pre-flight, before
take off, after landing, and close down, but not for Climb, Cruise,
Descent and Before Landing)

However, for the simple lists,
it would be ok to do the procedure first, then soon thereafter pull out
the check list and just make sure I didn't miss anything.

If the procedure was a landing, it's hard to belatedly perform a missing
step afterwards. :-)

The check list is for the "before landing" tasks. For example:

- seat belts
- carb heat
- flaps
- etc.

Once you've performed this check list from memory, you can pull out the
hard copy and make sure nothing was missed.

At least, that was the intent of my comments.


This is, in fact, what I now do. It works very well, and doesn't take
any time away from the procedure itself.

In some cases, I don't have a written check list, and so I rely on a
mnemonic memory aid, like setting up for an approach or the 5 'T's, etc.

I can't imagine why a mnemonic like GUMPS would not be an acceptable
alternative to a written check list.

I agree. I used to use checklists all the time (that's how I was taught),
but I found it to be an unnecessary distraction, and I would still
occasionally skip a step. Eventually I switched to using flows and mnemonics
instead. I find that to be at least as reliable as the checklists were. I
often review my checklists just before flying, but not during a flight.

Checklists strike me as more suitable for multi-crew aircraft where one
pilot can recite and confirm elements of the list (and literally check them
off) while another pilot performs them. But for a single-pilot plane,
memorization makes more sense to me. (This may be a minority opinion,
however.)

--Gary

But, of course, we're talking about a fairly new pilot (the topic is
with regard to a check ride), and I don't think a pilot can go wrong
with performing the checks from memory, then following up with the
hard copy check list to make sure nothing was missed. At least, I've
been taught that the examiner would view this as a good use of the
check list.


--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Student
Sacramento, CA