Flight Forum

I read with great interest Jonathan J. Greenway's article in the December 2008 AOPA Flight Training magazine ("Instructor Report: Do-It-Yourself Checklists?"). He has taken a very complex topic and reduced it to a few snide remarks that basically say, don't dare modify a checklist, you are too stupid to know what to do. I find it interesting that he specifically mentions lowering of the flaps draining the battery. If you check any Cessna pilot's operating handbook, those checklists call for lowering the flaps during preflight. If I do not deviate from the POH in cold weather, I will more often than not find myself cooling my heels as I wait for the battery to be recharged.

While manufacturers do a wonderful job describing how to preflight and fly the airplane, they cannot envision every scenario that future pilots may encounter. I fly a 1949 Beechcraft Bonanza that has had an 80-horsepower engine upgrade, had fuel tanks added, new avionics, and been modified with glass cockpit flight and engine instruments. Do you think my 1949 POH checklist has anything more than limited utility in preflighting and flying my aircraft today? How do I put in the necessary STC checklist steps for this new equipment if I don't build a do-it-yourself checklist?

Instead, Greenway should be making the point that every self-made checklist must start with the POH and then expand from there. Add the additional steps for STC'd add-ons. Take out steps for equipment that has been removed. Change the flow of those steps so they match where equipment is on the new panel. It makes it easier to complete all of the steps mandated by the POH and STCs. I even add critical data right into the appropriate checklist steps to remind me. What should the tire pressure be? My do-it-yourself checklist has it listed right next to the step.

Don't just dismiss a do-it-yourself checklist because it hasn't been "vetted by the experts from the engineering department." Greenway cites an example from a British Airways accident. I would be willing to bet a whole field of qualified engineers vetted that checklist, as did the British equivalent of the FAA, the Boeing engineers, and the engineers who didn't require a deicer in the Jet-A. All of the experts in a professional organization and we still have a crashed jet. That checklist was modified by professionals with professional oversight and someone still missed the boat.

Updating checklists to modern standards and in a format that is usable to the pilot is critical to safe flying. Just because it is do-it-yourself does not make it wrong. We just need to ensure it starts on the solid foundation of the POH and STC requirements.

Alan Williams
Bossier City, Louisiana

What is flying worth?

I enjoyed Phil Boyer's article ("President's Perspective: The Value of a Good CFI," December 2008 AOPA Flight Training). Here is another value imbalance of the sort he mentions between CFIs and ski instructors: In South Florida, you can rent a wave runner for an hour at $95, or a Cessna 152 for $89.

Peter McCook
Miami, Florida

Never too late to say 'thanks'

I enjoyed the article by Dave Hirschman about older pilots ("Never Too Late: Is it Time to Realize Your Dream?" December 2008 AOPA Flight Training). I'm the guy in the picture [on page 52]. I would like to mention my instructor, Tommy Chappell, who is in the picture with me. He is a great helicopter pilot and a great instructor. He operates the 300CB out of E0E (Newberry, South Carolina). My story would not be complete without mentioning Tommy. I hope to finish the add-on rating in a couple of months.

Jim Anderson
Pendleton, South Carolina

Erratum

Because of an error by AOPA, AOPA Flight Training's 2009 College Directory (December 2008 AOPA Flight Training) erroneously indicated that a number of schools were accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International when, in fact, they were not. (The 26 U.S. colleges currently accredited by AABI were properly noted.) AOPA regrets the error. This information has been corrected in AOPA's online college database. For a list of all AABI-accredited schools, see the AABI Web site.