Landing Checklist

Speed - surely we don't need a check to fly at the correct speed.
It's a reminder to select a pattern and landing speed based on conditions as
you enter the pattern. THAT's a reminder to check the wind sock or other
cues to wind direction and speed. And a reminder to look at the whole
pattern to see if you need to adjust your speed to blend in with other
aircraft.

Trim - don't we all adjust the trim when we change attitude/speed.
Sometimes. Maybe I use trim less than others, but if I'm going in and out of
thermals for short periods, hunting, etc., I don't trim all that often. This
is a reminder to set the trim after selecting the pattern speed.

Lookout - not in the air around your aircraft, but at the landing field
and runway so you can plan whether to land left, right, short, long...

Land - yes, it's obvious, but it triggers me to think about alignment with
/ distance from the runway, how long my downwind will likely be, speed in
base and final turns, look at my starting altitude and think about spoilers
and perhaps slipping, remember wind gradient. In other words, focus my mind
on all those things that make landing different from cruising and
thermaling.

Maybe after thousands of hours, one doesn't need these reminders. For those
of us new to the game (I'm coming up on one year since getting my PPG), they
are important reminders to build good habits.

For those who earlier questioned WHEN to do the checklist, before or during
the patter, here's my usual sequence:

FUST - during the 45-degree leg. Speed and Trim are as I'm nearing the end
of the 45, getting ready to turn downwind, 'cuz that's about the time I can
finally make out the wind sock.

ALL - Airbrakes on downwind. Lookout on downwind, 'cuz then I'm adjacent to
the runway.

This way there's plenty of time to do all the steps - no rush. It sets me up
for a relaxed downwind leg.


"Mark Dickson" wrote in message
...
I guess they will all serve their purpose, but I can
never understand checklists that include things that
you will do anyway. Speed - surely we don't need a
check to fly at the correct speed. Trim - don't we
all adjust the trim when we change attitude/speed.
Lookout and land - you're not telling us you wouldn't
lookout and check the landing area and actually land
without having it in a checklist? Checklists should,
IMO, only include things that you physically need to
do prior to landing. Waterballast should be in there,
you're more likely to need a reminder to dump it than
you are a reminder to do the things you should always
be doing anyway; like looking out, flying at an appropriate
speed and trimming.



At 15:24 06 January 2006, Jettester wrote:

FAA recommended checklist for the traffic pattern
FUSTALL

F - Flaps (on some gliders you may not want to change
the flaps
throughout the pattern due to high forces)
U - Undercarriage
S - Speeds (based upon wind and sink expected)
T - Trim Set
A - Airbrakes / Spoilers (I have had occurrences where
one popped all
the way out when first opened.. I'd like to know that
on downwind!
(ASW-17 .. Yes the hotelier fittings were pinned!!),
also on the 2-33 -
if the handle goes all the way back against the stop
the brake will not
work, etc..)
L - Lookout (Safe landing area.. otherwise land somewhere
else)
L - Land