How do you remind yourself to do your checklists?

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drotto

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drotto
Any tricks that people have for reminding yourself to do your various checklists. I am nearing the end of my IFR training, and see myself developing one or two potentially bad habits I want to break. I have never forgotten anything important, but will occasionally forget to flip a switch for landing lights, fuel pump, etc after take-off. These are minor, but do not want it to spread. So how do others remind themselves to double check these things?
 
I'd say just start doing them and eventually it'll become more routine.

Been there done that.
 
Law of primacy. If your instructor taught you to use them from the beginning, you usually won't have a problem doing them.
 
Try this. Pretend you are a professional pilot. You like being a professional pilot. You like your paycheck. You don't want to be fired, which you will be if you don't do them
 
Replace the bad habit of not using them with the good habit of using them.

Two concrete suggestions:

1. If you forget one, run it as soon as you notice. Unless safety is compromised in some way, the sillier or more inconvenient the better. For example, you are descending to your destination and realize you never ran your cruise checklist. Run your cruise checklist then. "Boy, that's stupid. Why would I run my cruise checklist to see if I missed anything in the past and delay my descent checklist?" is exactly the type of thought likely to affect your habit pattern in a good way.

2. Immediately after a flight, do a written debriefing, with special attention to "how was my checklist use?" The writing part is important because it forces you to think about it more deeply than just n your head. (It's also a good technique for other things)
 
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drotto said:
Any tricks that people have for reminding yourself to do your various checklists. I am nearing the end of my IFR training, and see myself developing one or two potentially bad habits I want to break. I have never forgotten anything important, but will occasionally forget to flip a switch for landing lights, fuel pump, etc after take-off. These are minor, but do not want it to spread. So how do others remind themselves to double check these things?
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Your first error...."these are minor". That's how you get yourself killed. And you are trying to get an IFR license...WHICH IS A LICENSE TO KILL YOURSELF! And you will if you don't snap out of that mentality.

You force yourself to establish the habit. There is no pill you can take or magic solution. You make yourself be the professional pilot with the professional habits and the professional practices you claim to be and have when you accept the ticket. The first step is mental. Establish habit by ALWAYS doing it. Anytime you don't you are reinforcing the bad habit. There is no reasonable excuse for not using the checklist. If you do not, it is because you CHOOSE to ignore it. Or, for that matter, there is no reasonable excuse for not doing a pre-flight. You CHOOSE not to do one. Or, for that matter, not checking the weather, or not doing a weight and balance. Don't pretend to be a pilot. BE A PILOT, with all of the professional standards everyone expects from a pilot.

This sounds harsh but after hundreds of pilot and controller trainees I have learned that if one wants the title one needs to earn the title. And one earns the title by first mentally adopting the goal of seeking the highest of standards and practices. Once you begin thinking professionally then you will act professionally, whether you are private or a true professional commercial pilot.

Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes habit. Only perfect practice makes perfect habit.

tex
 
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Tattoo them on your arm.
 
Establish a point at which you would do each checklist and connect it to an operation...Gear down--before landing checklist; Flaps up--climb or missed approach checklist are a couple that we connect up verbally in crew airplanes. And, of course, there are other triggers that tell you to do those things, so it becomes a series of almost Pavlovian responses.

Do your appropriate flow at various points and pick up the checklist. Situations may arise where you're too busy to do the checklist at that point, so grab it or put it someplace abnormal so that when you're caught up the checklist placement reminds you to get back to the checklist.
 
drotto said:
Any tricks that people have for reminding yourself to do your various checklists.
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Put a small (or complete) checklist on the top of your kneeboard after each flight. Like putting car keys in a bowl. Setup a process that forces you to deal with the checklist before flying.
 
The checklists are always in front of me. I have an empty slot in the avionics stack. That slot has the 3 major IFR checklists covering the slot. All the checklists are in a little spiral notebook that fits perfectly between yoke on the cherokee.
 
I myself am terrible at this. I do my flow checks but I KNOW I need to get better at it. I was on a checkout flight recently and tried to bust out my pre-landing checklist just as I was approaching the FAF and was so much harder than it needed to be. Granted it was a bit of a janky homemade checklist from the flying club so my eyes didn't know where to go.
 
Long ago I realized I had gotten "checklist annoyed" at the crappy Cessna thing we had laminated and spiral bound in the airplane. I found a commerical (but you could make you're own, too) checklist that I poured over to make sure it matched the factory checklist (it actually has more things and misses none) that was printed on a single card, and I've never had trouble since.

Just saying to make sure it's not the format of the checklist that's annoying you enough not to use it. If it is, make a nicer one. The right size and shape for how you like to use them.

Do a few paper copies, figure out what works and what doesn't and when you get it settled in, laminate it and use it.
 
denverpilot said:
Long ago I realized I had gotten "checklist annoyed" at the crappy Cessna thing we had laminated and spiral bound in the airplane. I found a commerical (but you could make you're own, too) checklist that I poured over to make sure it matched the factory checklist (it actually has more things and misses none) that was printed on a single card, and I've never had trouble since.

Just saying to make sure it's not the format of the checklist that's annoying you enough not to use it. If it is, make a nicer one. The right size and shape for how you like to use them.

Do a few paper copies, figure out what works and what doesn't and when you get it settled in, laminate it and use it.
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Making my own checklist was one of the first things I did after purchasing the 'kota. Get the order correct so each section "flows". Include emergency procedures. Include V speeds and performance numbers.

It works for other folks too. I've seen mechanics try to start it and fail. They grab the checklist which is always on the glareshield when parked and fire it right up. Nothing is difficult about starting the 'kota but ya gotta get a clue on the electric primer. I don't have hot starts on the checklist. I guess that is one seekret I'll keep to myself.
 
I imagine my wife is sitting next to me asking, "Did you do the checklist?"
 
A good reminder for a checklist is a phase change. After takeoff, I run the post-takeoff checklist. Upon leveling in cruise, I do the cruise checklist, and so on.
I used to forget to turn off the landing light too after takeoff. I now turn it off when leveling off in cruise. Or when entering IMC (at which point I turn off strobes as well).
Landing checklist is easy, when I see the rwy on final, GUMPS always comes to mind automatically. :) It's a good thing!
 
I have no issues doing the check list for the ground procedures, and have a very good aftermarket book. The one I seem to fall short on is the cruise checks on occasion. I am good with GUMPS but feel I need to be more diligent about it while doing an approach when I am still getting used to the increased work load.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
drotto said:
The one I seem to fall short on is the cruise checks on occasion.
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In cruise, I get bored often and that is a perfectly good time to run system checks, fuel check, weather check, thinking ahead (such as approach briefing) etc.

drotto said:
I need to be more diligent about it while doing an approach when I am still getting used to the increased work load.
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That should come naturally. When passing the FAF, transition to landing configuration and run the checklist. That's a good time to do it and hard to forget.
 
luvflyin said:
I don't remind myself to do them. The whole point of them is not relying on memory.
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I keep it out and have become very OCD with it. I make it an active part of the flying rather than a task I need to tend to. When I unlock the door the first thing I do is get the checklist, this becomes my playbook for the preflight, taxi, takeoff, etc.

BigBadLou said:
I get bored often
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Yup. Anytime things are relaxed I'll review the last few items to double check and start reviewing the next checklist
 
the biggest thing i see is people making HUGE checklist. if its a full sheet its way to long, leading people to not do it. checklists should be simple and cover the important points. the longest checklist on the airbus is the taxi checklist and it only 14 items long. most of which are FMC items. to many people use checklists as do lists. that is not the way to do it. develop good flows and the checklist becomes just that a list of things to check that you have already done.

bob
 
unsafervguy said:
the biggest thing i see is people making HUGE checklist. if its a full sheet its way to long, leading people to not do it. checklists should be simple and cover the important points. the longest checklist on the airbus is the taxi checklist and it only 14 items long. most of which are FMC items. to many people use checklists as do lists. that is not the way to do it. develop good flows and the checklist becomes just that a list of things to check that you have already done.

bob
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Yeah the schools 172 checklist is like 5-6 pages.
I have to wade through a "how to land" guide when the "only" potentially critical thing is mixture and carbheat. I don't need throttle settings and reminders to call 5 miles out or get the atis or "get 20degrees flaps on base" or enter pattern at 1000ft agl, or put my seatbelt on. If we made checklist for our cars like schools do for 172s it would be like "upon leaving the interstate" signal intentions slow to 45mph make smooth control inputs onto the offramp maintaining separation, make sure your still in drive check rear view mirror for approaching cars and be ready to move, approach stop sign and smoothly come to a stop verify off ramp checklist complete begin the "turning onto road checklist"
I'm not against checklist especially as you get into more complex stuff but at some point you just gotta be a pilot and do what your supposed to do.

My ideal checklist would be one page large font critical items that has all phases of flight, and maybe the backside can be a quick reference sheet for stuff you should probably know but might not have committed to memory from lack of use (hot start, some trouble shooting stuff etc)

I like flying the arrow now because the CFI just does GUMP and with no paper checklist I find myself doing the "list" more often and more thoroughly.
 
I fly a 172 now, mostly. After the pre-flight and run up, my "checklisting" is done for the day.
 
labbadabba said:
I myself am terrible at this. I do my flow checks but I KNOW I need to get better at it. I was on a checkout flight recently and tried to bust out my pre-landing checklist just as I was approaching the FAF and was so much harder than it needed to be. Granted it was a bit of a janky homemade checklist from the flying club so my eyes didn't know where to go.
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I might be in the minority but for the type of GA planes I fly I prefer Flowchecks and prefer a homemade checklist. Lets be honest my 172 isn't complicated at all... Enroute, Cruise and Descend all share the same flow - Pitch, Power, Trim, Mixture, Instruments. I have that memorized and constantly do it and don't need to look at my checklist to confirm... however it's a home made checklist and is in the same order I gave above. CIGARS works on run up, CGUMPS works on pre-landing, landing. I do use checklists mainly for verifying activities after walk around and I still verify after CIGARs. But I'm not constantly looking at it to make sure my mixture is set right in climb and cruise.
 
unsafervguy said:
to many people use checklists as do lists
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Correct! It is not an instructional list, or a standard work instructions. It's a *check* list... did you CHECK the mixture, gear, flaps, etc.

OkieAviator said:
I might be in the minority but for the type of GA planes I fly I prefer Flowchecks and prefer a homemade checklist. Lets be honest my 172 isn't complicated at all
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Agree. Many of the standard checklists that are out there don't seem logical to me... it involves jumping your eyes and tasks from left to right. Makes more sense to do something in a logical flow

A 172 is remarkably simple though, without even a fuel pump on the one I fly it really is just mixture, landing lights, flaps, etc. And honestly you really shouldn't need checklists for that, those are core aspects of flying the plane
 
Tantalum said:
A 172 is remarkably simple...honestly you really shouldn't need checklists for that, those are core aspects of flying the plane
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The real point of a checklist is not to tame a complex aircraft. Checklists are to keep humans from skipping mundance steps and end up on the ground in a pile of crumpled metal or splintered fiberglass.
 
A homemade checklist is fine -- as long as you debug it. It's appropriate to use it to back up a flow.

But fooling yourself into thinking no checklist is required is not correct. While you'll never make a gear up landing in a fixed gear airplane, there are other bad things you can do. Like flying the pattern with the fuel on Left or forgetting the carb heat on descent or to lean the mixture at high altitude.

The point is to make sure you didn't forget anything. It's just wrong to say there is nothing to forget on a 172. Carb ice or a fuel starved engine can ruin your whole day.

To answer the OP's question, you need to establish a habit. Every airplane, every time.

It's not the unfamiliar airplanes that cause trouble; the checklist is not a do-list, and you're much more conscious of what the airplane requires when it isn't a familiar aircraft. It's the familiar, especially with added distractions such as crazy traffic or a near miss, that see misconfiguration. That's when the checklists save your bacon.
 
Maybe you need a checklist checklist.

1. Follow the checklist.
 
One solution though far from perfect is to run one whenever you do a frequency change. I try to do this when I'm on a cross country with flight following and it helps me.
 
After I once took off with the door unlatched/unlocked in a Cherokee, I religiously follow the book for Walkaround, startup, takeoff and landing. Cruise not so much since it's just watching from computed/memorized settings.

I do know the BOLD FACE emergency procedures from memory for any aircraft I fly.

Cheers
 
citizen5000 said:
The real point of a checklist is not to tame a complex aircraft. Checklists are to keep humans from skipping mundance steps and end up on the ground in a pile of crumpled metal or splintered fiberglass.
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*Right, and my earlier post indicated that they're "check" not "to do" lists and I follow mine borderline OCD, and it blows my mind when I see people preflight without at the minimum checking oil or checking and sumping the tanks

But it's still true that an old 172 still has relatively few things to check. I do believe that remembering to adjust the mixture starts to get into the territory of basic airmanship like remembering to stay coordinated in turns (esp when going to final) etc. People forget it all too often so it's appropriate to keep on a checklist, and like you said esp mundane things run the risk of being omitted, but I would still content that it's easier to forget to switch tanks in a Piper than it is to forget about the mixture control in a 172
 
As with others, I use a flow. Then I break open the checklist to see if I forgot anything.
 
Zeldman said:
As with others, I use a flow. Then I break open the checklist to see if I forgot anything.
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How often do you forget, and when you do is it a major item or something small? I recently did my run up flow and forgot the carb heat, then saw it on the checklist and checked it. I was very discouraged and disappointed in myself, but at the same time it reminded me how important the checklist is!!
 
I can tell you that one time I forgot to retract the flaps in the Navion after landing and did a taxiback and takeoff. It's amazing how short the ground run is when you do that... When my wife got her private, we stuck the before landing checklist on the doorpost and the emergency one on the sunvisor. Those are two times you really don't want to be digging around for the multipage checklist...

Of course, in my "engine blowed up" landings I just treated it as a regular landing (hell I live on a grass runway) rather than an emergency. The always check the gear on short final mantra saved a lot of damage in the first one.
 
I hate the 10 page checklists. I mostly see these checklists from large 141 schools. The only thing that should be on checklists are the "killer" items such as boost pumps, flaps, etc. if you look at airline checklists, they're on a double sided 8x11 piece of paper. I think our longest checklist (preflight) is like 10 items.
 
jordane93 said:
The only thing that should be on checklists are the "killer" items such as boost pumps, flaps, etc.
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EXACTLY! And with no fuel pump, the tanks virtually always on both, I feel like a 172 has very few "killer" items

Lights on, mags both, fuel both, flaps set, trim set, carb heat check. Done.
 
Tantalum said:
EXACTLY! And with no fuel pump, the tanks virtually always on both, I feel like a 172 has very few "killer" items

Lights on, mags both, fuel both, flaps set, trim set, carb heat check. Done.
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I like when a check list says:

ATIS: Obtain

What a concept!
 
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