The flying club has checklists in every aircraft.
What i'm trying to do is to simplify the portion of checklist that is between run up / pre-takeoff and the shut down checklist.
The checklists we are provided with are full of info and have cruise power tables etc... They are choppy and don't flow very well. I think they contain too much information.
Generally, I've found that normal procedures checklists contain too much info, while emergency checklists don't have enough.
I'd also suggest that going head-down and reading long checklists in flight is going to result in less than ideal results. Interestingly enough, the one opportunity I had to fly a jet I was really impressed with their checklists. Not one bit of "fluff." There's a whole lot of checklists, but they're quick and concise.
With that in mind, here's what I'd pull off the top of my head for the Mooney Ovation from post-runup to after landing:
Line Up:
Lights - All on
Initial climb:
Positive rate and accelerate to 85 KIAS, gear up
accelerate to 105 KIAS, flaps up
Accelerate to 120 KIAS, trim for climb
(As far as a "checklist", I wouldn't put the above items on it - Only "Flaps and Gear - Retracted." If your friend can't do the above without a checklist by the time his checkout is completed, he probably needs to stick to simpler airplanes.)
Note EGT - This is the value you'll lean to later in climb.
Cruise:
(Here's the steps I use in pretty much every plane: Trim, time, lights, pump, power, mixture, compass, cowl flaps... Removing the things that aren't needed. So, for the Mooney on a VFR day, it is
Lights: Landing/Taxi lights off
Power: Set for cruise (usually WOT/2200 on the M20R)
Mixture: Lean as appropriate. (I go LOP up through about 9,000 or at peak if higher.)
Top of Descent:
(Trim forward)
Lights - All on.
(Reduce MP to 20", 17", and 14", usually 15-20, 10-15, and 5-10 miles out respectively)
FAF or downwind:
(Check IAS vs. Vle, and then) Gear down
Flaps as appropriate
When out of the governing range: Prop and mixture forward
Final approach:
GUMPSS
After landing and clearing the runway:
Mixture - Lean
Landing and Recognition lights - Off
Speed brakes - Retract
Flaps - Retract
Pitot Heat - Off
Prop De-ice - Off
My pal was getting behind the plane trying to use the provided checklist so I was hoping to come up with something that simplifies things for him. Obviously no replacement for getting more experience with the aircraft - but I think he'd have an easier time w a better checklist.
Probably. I would guess that time in type is going to be the most important thing - The biggest thing is probably that his brain isn't used to going that fast, and the only way to fix that is to fly a fast airplane regularly for a while. What has he flown previously? Is this his first step up from a 172-class airplane? I had somewhat of an advantage moving to the Mooney because I've been flying 135-140 knot airplanes for several years, so it wasn't a huge jump in speed - about 25%. For someone going from an old 172 to an M20J, it's much closer to 50%. I bet David had an easier time because he flies a ton, though, and that's another important factor. Does your friend fly once a month, or twice a week? He'll need to fly fairly often for a while to learn and maintain the proper skill and fast-thinking technique.
EDIT: I just want to emphasize once again, the above is what I do in the Ovation, and it will be different than the 201. The Ovation has no cowl flaps, never uses the boost pump except for starting and emergencies, has a max RPM of 2500, etc. etc. etc. It's just an example of the style of checklists that I think could help your friend.
