Pre Takeoff Checklists

Hopefully everyone uses what works best for them.
Before leaving the house to fly, I have a full page list.
For Pre-take off and landing, written is the only way for me. I can't
remember how to spell actual words let alone acronyms, so I combined
Schliecher's and Tom's, then broke into four parts pasted below:

---Pre-Take Off---
---OUTSIDE----
Tail Dolly
PDA programed
SN10 programed
VL memory cleared
Task declared to VL
M.E.C. installed
Chart in side pocket
Turnpoints in side pocket
Money Clip to side pouch
Phone off, to side pouch
Reading glasses
Sun glasses
Car keys not on me
Food
Camel Back - Closed
Rope, Link, Knots
----PANEL----
Trim at fwd edge of sticker
Illec Set, Vol 1/2
Altimeter Set
Air Vents Closed X3
B-40 off
Radio Freq & volume
-----LAP-----
Unzip Fly
H2O closed & in reach
Belts Tight
Parachute Straps
Trim set
Controls free
Wind Direction
Emergency Plan
----GO TIME----
Canopy locked
Airbrakes @ 1/2 (Left hand)
Thumb-Up (Right hand)
----Pre-Landing----
Undercarriage
Speed
Trim
Altitude
Airbrakes
Look for Objects
Bank Angle
Touchdown-2 point
Stick back on ground roll

Some items are there to guarantee the flight is comfortable and hassle
free. About 1 in 10 flights I go back to get something from the car or
hanger after I'm gridded.

I also have a short "don't leave the house w/o it" list taped to the
fridge, my friends use it to confirm that I'm a dork.

~Barny

On Mar 23, 6:16*pm, Barny wrote:

Some items are there to guarantee the flight is comfortable and hassle
free. About 1 in 10 flights I go back to get something from the car or
hanger after I'm gridded.

Does that mean the checklist is NOT working for you? I use a prepush
checklist and very seldom have to go back for anything.

I do need to change the existing item "Task sheet" to "Read the task
sheet!" though

Andy (GY)

Some items are there to guarantee the flight is comfortable and hassle
free. About 1 in 10 flights I go back to get something from the car or
hanger after I'm gridded.
*****************
Does that mean the checklist is NOT working for you? *I use a prepush
checklist and very seldom have to go back for anything. I do need to
change the existing item "Task sheet" to "Read the task sheet!"
*though
Andy (GY)
*****************
Going back for something that makes the flight more comfortable means
it's working great (at least for me). I suppose I could review it
before moving from the hanger to the grid, but the car is usually
parked very near the grid. My post was meant to show the benefits of a
written comprehensive (aka long) list vs. acronyms. I think the extra
items have really improved my safety and reduced frustrations. Some of
the words carry more meaning: Camel back "closed" and "in reach" = 3
things (have it, not leaking on me, able to reach the hose). Cell
phone off and in side pocket = 2 things: (battery not run down due to
no service & not uncomfortable in my pocket). Phone rings, not able
to get it out of my pocket, beeping every 30 seconds for the missed
call. Stuff like that really helped me.
~Bruce

On Mar 25, 6:55*pm, Barny wrote:
Some items are there to guarantee the flight is comfortable and hassle
free. About 1 in 10 flights I go back to get something from the car or
hanger after I'm gridded.
*****************
*Does that mean the checklist is NOT working for you? *I use a prepush
checklist and very seldom have to go back for anything. *I do need to
change the existing item "Task sheet" to "Read the task sheet!"
*though
* Andy (GY)
*****************
Going back for something that makes the flight more comfortable means
it's working great (at least for me). I suppose I could review it
before moving from the hanger to the grid, but the car is usually
parked very near the grid. My post was meant to show the benefits of a
written comprehensive (aka long) list vs. acronyms. I think the extra
items have really improved my safety and reduced frustrations. Some of
the words carry more meaning: *Camel back "closed" and "in reach" = 3
things (have it, not leaking on me, able to reach the hose). Cell
phone off and in side pocket = 2 things: (battery not run down due to
no service & not uncomfortable in my pocket). *Phone rings, not able
to get it out of my pocket, beeping every 30 seconds for the missed
call. Stuff like that really helped me.
~Bruce

I dunno; for landing at least I like to have the memorized checklist
(FUSTALL,
WUSTALL, WUFSTALL, depending on what I'm flying) because I think that
traffic patterns need extra vigilance to look for traffic. Remember
that most
mid-airs happen in the pattern. I can sure see the point of a
laminated
checklist for a rental plane or for a more complex plane (e.g. self
launcher).

For preparation, though, written checklists are a big help. Whenever
I go
to a contest I spend some time and create extra checklists for each
significant
point in the trip -- packing, leaving the house, picking up the
trailer at the airport,
tying down the trailer at the contest, assembly, grid time, retrieve,
and
going home. It would be Really Bad to be 600 miles away someplace and
realize you've forgotten something important, like your logger. Also,
the retrieve
checklist needs to be for someone else who will come get you when you
land out, because they won't neccessarily know all the details of
your car
and trailer.

-- Matt