Pre-launch Checklists.

Martin Gregorie wrote:
Don Johnstone wrote:

The version used in the UK almost universal, it is
one of the few things that most people seem to agree
on is

C - Controls
B - Ballast (includes tail dolly)
S - Straps
I - Instruments
F - Flaps
T - Trim
C - Canopy
B - Brakes
E - Eventualities

Personally, I find the final E to be in the right place, especially for
winch launch. It means the last thing I push onto my brain stack is the
direction to turn after a high winch launch failure. This means that if
I have a launch failure its "nose down -- got approach speed -- look
ahead -- (too high for land ahead)-TURN" and, because the turn direction
was the last thing into my memory, its the first thing that pops out
again and turning the correct way is a no-brainer.

We also teach the "E" with the accent on the pilot having done the self
briefing, and/or had one from an instructor. The eventualities item is just a
reminder that life is what happens while we are planning other things. On a
winch launch it pays , as Martin points out to know what your plan is.

It appears that the mind works this way. Referring to the eventualities plan as
the last thing before initiating the launch, means it is top of mind when/if
something goes wrong.

So - the eventualities item is not a substitute for thought, but it does help to
trigger the correct information from current short term memory in the event of
things falling apart.

I personally have to have a couple of very different "Eventualities" plans in my
head. Consider the differences. We have a field with a short section of
reasonable grass, cut short and level at each end. In the middle is over 1000m
of much longer grass that the wildlife continuously works on returning to it's
natural lumpy state. To the west there is a near parallel 1470m long tar runway
varying from 150m to 300m, closer on the downhill side than on the uphill side.
Oh, I almost forgot, the 60" tree between the runways at the uphill end.
Depending on whether I am flying a 27:1 high wing, skid equipped two seater
built like a brick outhouse, or my Std Cirrus with its low wings and 36:1
performance, a cable break at say 200 feet will have very different actions.
Which will also vary depending on which direction the wind is from, etc. You
don't want to be mentally flipping through permutations when the cable breaks at
an awkward height.

I use the "E" to remind me, of the decisions I have made about launching this
specific airplane, on this runway with the current weather.

--
Bruce Greeff
Std Cirrus #57
I'm no-T at the address above.

In message , Bruce
writes
Martin Gregorie wrote:
Don Johnstone wrote:

The version used in the UK almost universal, it is
one of the few things that most people seem to agree
on is

C - Controls
B - Ballast (includes tail dolly)
S - Straps
I - Instruments
F - Flaps
T - Trim
C - Canopy
B - Brakes
E - Eventualities

Personally, I find the final E to be in the right place, especially
for winch launch. It means the last thing I push onto my brain stack
is the direction to turn after a high winch launch failure. This means
that if I have a launch failure its "nose down -- got approach speed
-- look ahead -- (too high for land ahead)-TURN" and, because the turn
direction was the last thing into my memory, its the first thing that
pops out again and turning the correct way is a no-brainer.

We also teach the "E" with the accent on the pilot having done the self
briefing, and/or had one from an instructor. The eventualities item is
just a reminder that life is what happens while we are planning other
things. On a winch launch it pays , as Martin points out to know what
your plan is.

It appears that the mind works this way. Referring to the eventualities
plan as the last thing before initiating the launch, means it is top of
mind when/if something goes wrong.

So - the eventualities item is not a substitute for thought, but it
does help to trigger the correct information from current short term
memory in the event of things falling apart.

I personally have to have a couple of very different "Eventualities"
plans in my head. Consider the differences. We have a field with a
short section of reasonable grass, cut short and level at each end. In
the middle is over 1000m of much longer grass that the wildlife
continuously works on returning to it's natural lumpy state. To the
west there is a near parallel 1470m long tar runway varying from 150m
to 300m, closer on the downhill side than on the uphill side. Oh, I
almost forgot, the 60" tree between the runways at the uphill end.
Depending on whether I am flying a 27:1 high wing, skid equipped two
seater built like a brick outhouse, or my Std Cirrus with its low wings
and 36:1 performance, a cable break at say 200 feet will have very
different actions. Which will also vary depending on which direction
the wind is from, etc. You don't want to be mentally flipping through
permutations when the cable breaks at an awkward height.

I use the "E" to remind me, of the decisions I have made about
launching this specific airplane, on this runway with the current
weather.

Going through E on a deliberate site, conditions and aircraft basis is
vital every time. For instance, I fly from a nice large site with flat
land all around (mostly). If I get a winch failure and I am in a
position where I have to turn then down wind is usually the best option
(gives space and time as you turn back into wind to get into the site).
5 miles away is a ridge site which many of us fly from occasionally.
Here turning down wind would be very dodgy as you would go straight into
the curl over at a low height - guaranteed to be experience enhancing.

So do it last and work through everything that is different since the
last time you did this - wind (strength direction), type of launch
(winch aero), aircraft (ballast, has it got flaps, max launch speed all
that stuff) and so on and ask yourself "so what" at each stage. That
builds your get out of jail plan and as has been pointed out, the last
thing in the brain usually turns up as the first thing out.

Cheers

Robin
--
Robin Birch

I had an ex-airforce pilot tell me that their method,
and his preferred method, was to simply go around the
cockpit methodically from left to right, touching everything
and making adjustments. Seemed to me an easy way to
skip something.


At 13:00 25 January 2006, wrote:
The US 'ABCCCDE' checklist seems to be a Schweizer
thing - it's
placarded in the horrible things! Unfortunately, it
is not really well
organized for more advanced gliders - no specific reference
to flaps,
for example.

After transitioning from power to gliders via 2-33s
and Blaniks, I
discovered the British 'CBSIFTCB' on my own via Piggott.
A much better
reminder for the ships I usually fly, especially since
it leaves the
canopy and brakes to the end - important in hot weather.
I now use it
for every glider I fly - especially 2-33s!

Note: Ballast can refer to both that required for
proper CG (usually a
2-seater thing - and this is meant to be a check that
you DID install
or remove it), or to the presence/absence of water
ballast, which would
require adjustment of takeoff speeds, technique, etc..

Wonder what the Germans, French, Poles etc. use?

Kirk
LS6b 66

Air Force (USAF, at least) checklists are arranged to go around the
cockpit from left aft, around the front, to the right aft. Makes the
flow of checking items smooth. But the checklist "lists" all the items
(and the position to be confirmed or set). What happens in practice is
you would hold the checklist at the correct page and go through the
items by memory (or listen to them being read by the copilot/WSO).

If done correctly, it will catch all the switches/controls/settings.
If done in a hurry, or totally by memory, or without thinking (easy to
do when you do it every day, sometimes several times a day), it is
surprisingly easy to miss items.

Sometimes, you just have to sit back and look at everything and think
about it for a moment....

Kirk
66

I spent many hours observing flight test pilots and the systems they
were testing. The procedure that seemed to be universal for before
engine start was to set up all the systems by memory using the same
flow, and then to check the systems configuration by use a checklist.

Andy

Nyal Williams wrote:
I'd like to see posted various generalized, and glider-non-specific
pre-lauch checklists with the letters followed by explanation of what it
means.

I'm not a friend of large mnemonics, I've rather structured my checklist
by logic content. This gives me a reliable generic check list which is
valid for all gliders.

1) Glider preparation. (Rigging checks done, tail dolly, ballast etc.)

2) Strap myself. (This item also serves as a structure elment: group 1
cmopleted. In two seaters, passenger strapped and rear canopy locked
goes here.)

3) Instrument panel. (Just go around the panel and point to each
instrument. Radio check comes here, too.)

4) Mechanics. (Controls free, spoilers locked, flaps set, trim set.)

5) Canopy shut (Again, this serves a structure element: all checks done.)

6) Pre launch concentration phase. (Where is the go-no-go-decision
point; what to do if the cable breaks low, middle, high; what is the
safety altitude, what are the speeds to fly... Depends on glider, place,
wind etc.)

7) Get the cale hooked up. (Another structure element. No way I let
somebody hook up the cable before this point, regardless on how much
pressure they apply.)

8) Windsock, no people in the way, give ok sign.

This works for all situations and all gliders, I don't have to memorize
a long list and the risk of forgetting something is minimal.

Stefan

At 18:24 25 January 2006, Stefan wrote:
This works for all situations and all gliders, I don't
have to memorize
a long list and the risk of forgetting something is
minimal.

Stefan

There are 8 items in your list, as many as CBSIFTCB,
but no structure or mnemonic. Easy to forget something.

Mark Dickson wrote:
At 18:24 25 January 2006, Stefan wrote:

This works for all situations and all gliders, I don't
have to memorize

a long list and the risk of forgetting something is
minimal.

Stefan


There are 8 items in your list, as many as CBSIFTCB,
but no structure or mnemonic. Easy to forget something.

The last item on all my checklists is, "Don't do nothin' dumb". That's to
avoid being the lead story on the evening news.

Bill Daniels

"Stefan" wrote in message
...
Mark Dickson wrote:
At 18:24 25 January 2006, Stefan wrote:

This works for all situations and all gliders, I don't
have to memorize

a long list and the risk of forgetting something is
minimal.

Stefan


There are 8 items in your list, as many as CBSIFTCB,
but no structure or mnemonic. Easy to forget something.

Funny thing about checklists...you gotta use 'em.

I'm very conscientious in my use of checklists. I use the ABCCCDWD
(altimeter, belts, controls, cable, canopy, divebrakes, wind, Dead (as
in "will kill you dead if you do something stupid"). I use USTALL in the
landing pattern. Undercarriage, spoilers (yeah, I know its not
consistent with D for divebrakes), trim, airspeed, lookout, land. Works
for me...usually.

Did I mention that I'm very conscientious about using my checklists?
Well, here's how I got caught out: I went through my pre-launch
checklist and got myself mentally prepared for tflight. Takeoff was as
normal. During the tow, I noticed a cockpit problem (not a flight safety
issue) that I wanted to fix before engaging in a long day of cross
country. I notified the tug that I was getting off early and landing,
and did so. Now, here's where I screwed up. I didn't go through my
checklist for the second launch. I had already done the checklist hadn't
I? As you may have already guessed, the divebrakes weren't locked and
eased themselves open during the takeoff. Having noticed that the
oncoming trees weren't dropping away as usual, I checked airspeed, found
it right on, and immediately reached for the divebrake handle which I
found full back. Closing it got us back on our normal climb.

So, use those checklists EVERY time you launch.

As an aside, my ship is a 301 Libelle, which type is known for
ineffective divebrakes. In a ship with effective brakes it would have
been more immediately obvious that the brakes were open. With the
Libelle, or other ship with weak brakes, divebrakes open on tow is a
more subtle and insidious problem, but one that could just as easily
cause the flight to end badly.