Pre Takeoff Checklists

On Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:20:44 -0700 (PDT), Tony
wrote:

Seems to me that it's been a while since we had a good brouhaha over
pretakeoff checklists. Most of use use either ABBCCCDDE (or is it
AABBCCDDE? Or ABBBCCCCDDEEFG?) or CBSIFTCB or some other variant. I'm
curious what you use and WHY? What have you added or subtracted to
the "base" checklist to fit your specific glider or operation, or to
prevent problems you have encountered.

I personally use CBSIFTCB in all the gliders I fly. After that is
complete I'm OK hooking up the rope, then I review WET (Wind,
Emergency, Traffic) and give the signal to launch.


In Germany we have an entirely different method to memorize a glider
checklist, based on the method of identifying each item in the cockpit
in a certain order:

- Start with your body
- Then move through the cockpit in a clockwise direction
- Then move outside the cockpit



Which results in this checklist:

1. Body
- Weight
- Tail dolly
- Seating position
- Parachute
- Safety belt

2. Cockpit clockwise, starting on the left cockpit wall
- Airbrakes
- Flaps

3. Instruement panel
- Radio
- Altimeter

4. Cockpit center
- Stick and rudder pedals
- Trim
- Canopy

5. Outside the cockpit
- Wind
- Traffic
- Emergency procedures



I'm not sure if this is a better method, but it seems to work.

In my opinion the advantage of this method is that it is systematic:
As long as you remember to move the head in a clockwise direction and
identify a device in the cockpit, you'll hopefully remember that it's
an item in the check list.




Cheers
Andreas