Insights

Double-check your actions

An FAA-designated pilot examiner berated a CFI candidate recently for using cockpit flow patterns and a mental checklist before employing the airplane's written checklist as the candidate had been taught. Flight safety is a critical flight instructor function; it's incredible that a pilot examiner would be ignorant of that fact.

I've seen pilots make mistakes when using and when not using a written checklist. To avoid that, pilots should use the written checklist in order to double-check previous actions.

Years ago in the military, pilots were required to do blind cockpit checks. With eyes closed, they had to identify every control in the cockpit. Cockpit familiarity was mandatory then, and it still is today. I learned to use flow patterns and mental checklists when I was a U.S. Army pilot. These procedures generate cockpit familiarity, not to the extent of the blind cockpit check, but satisfactory for today's operations.

A flow pattern is a logical path--based on cockpit layout--that covers all cockpit elements. Mental checklists are easy-to-remember items that keep a pilot from doing something stupid like landing gear-up or taking off with locked flight controls or an improperly positioned fuel selector. Such things do occur. Written checklists, the final step, must be utilized after the preflight inspection, before engine start, before takeoff, before landing, and after engine shutdown. Student pilots are usually given additional written checklists that soon become memory items which do not require checklist reference: after engine start, taxi, after takeoff, and after landing are four examples.

The FAA's Private Pilot Practical Test Standards says this about the applicant's use of checklists: "Throughout the practical test, the applicant is evaluated on the use of an appropriate checklist. Proper use is dependent on the specific Task being evaluated. The situation may be such that the use of the checklist, while accomplishing elements of an Objective, would be either unsafe or impractical, especially in a single-pilot operation. In this case, a review of the checklist after the elements have been accomplished, would be appropriate. Division of attention and proper visual scanning should be considered when using a checklist."

The first edition of the FAA's Airplane Flying Handbook (now out of print) stated that a written checklist can be used as either a do-list or a checklist that followed prior actions. During initial pilot training, student pilots use the written checklist as a do-list in order to become familiar with the process. As experience is gained, however, they should learn to use flow patterns and mental checklists followed by the written checklist. This provides the redundancy that eliminates the possibility of human error. That's a fact!

A typical flow pattern in a light airplane is as follows: Start between the front seats, move forward to the center console, move horizontally to the left along the bottom of the instrument panel, check the left sidewall, move up the instrument panel in a pattern that covers the flight instruments and items in that area, move down the radio stack, check the right side of the instrument panel, check the lower right sidewall, and finally move horizontally to the left along the bottom of the instrument panel back to the center console.

The before-takeoff mental checklist is CIGARS: controls free, instruments checked, gas on the fullest tank and boost pump on if required, attitude (elevator) trim set, runup complete, seat belts and shoulder harness fastened. After completion of the flow pattern and CIGARS, review the written checklist and announce to your instructor or pilot examiner that it is complete. Now, and only now, can you call the control tower for takeoff clearance.

If you plan to fly a complex airplane, the before-landing mental checklist is GUMPS: gas on fullest tank and boost pump on if required, undercarriage (landing gear) down, mixture as required for landing, prop high rpm, seat belts and shoulder harness fastened. GUMPS, however, follows the before-landing written checklist that you should review before you enter the airport traffic area, which is usually well before you extend the landing gear and set high rpm. Reviewing a written checklist while in the airport's traffic area is not wise. Your eye should be outside the cockpit. Try to perform GUMPS three times before landing, but if you're only able to do it twice, that's OK--you'll never land gear up.

To fly safe, you must fly smart. To fly smart, you must double-check every action that is required.

Ralph Butcher, a retired United Airlines captain, is the chief flight instructor at a California flight school. He has been flying since 1959 and has 25,000 hours in fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. Visit his Web site.