I never learned the 5T's (or 4T's) and don't teach, and don't
understand it either. Is it to remember the sequence or the actions
themselves?

It's a checklist, used for the reasons checklists are used.

I'm a fan of checklists. (In fact, if you're interested there is an
interesting article in last weeks New Yorker about the use of
checklists and "CRM" in medical settings. Apparently, doctors have
been pretty resistant because it implies they are not all heroic
superstars. However, the use of a checklist as well as allowing nurses
(ie, first officers) to challenge doctors who stray from it to
challenge the doctor has shown substantial improvements in medical
care quality. It seems obvious to an aviator, not so much to docs, I
guess. (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/
2007/12/10/071210fa_fact_gawande)

The thing about the T's is that there is already a checklist of sorts
on my lap when I'm flying an approach; it's the approach itself, which
presents lots of little memory aids to help me do it right. I've done
my share of stupid stuff while learning/flying IFR, but I don't think
I've left out anything of the T's -- with the exception of TIME. I
should have a placard in the aircraft that says "look at your watch
now, doofus."

(As an aside, I prefer the wris****ch to the fancy flight timers,
whose buttons present me with something extra to *do*, whereas with
the watch all I need to do is note the positions of the minute and
second hands. And in reality, seconds is usually sufficient, as I'll
likely be looking at it again often enough to track the minutes, too.)


-- dave j