On 16 Dec, 08:44, 309 wrote:

Yup, I've been a dummy: took off once with the static ports still
taped over. ... And statics got added to the
preflight checklist!!!

After you use a checklist for a while, you'll find that they're
terrific security blankets, and help you relax more during the
flight.

Security blankets are not necessarily a Good Thing. After all, it
seems you may have missed your taped over static ports because they
weren't on your check list ... what's going to be next? Not that I'm
knocking the whole idea, you understand - I have a nice laminated list
of rigging and derigging stuff.

The pros fly with checklists. The FAA condones the discipline. Many
accident investigation reports cite, as one of the causes, the crew's
failure to follow the appropriate checklist.

The pros are flying vastly more complicated aircraft and have vastly
more time available to read checklists.

Ian