Page 22 - April 23

ASK THE EXPERT
A Suggested Checklist “Cycle”
by Tom Clements
It is my strong belief that few pilots (rightly so!) use the same checklist for all of their flight operations in a particular aircraft. Even if they always open the same manufacturer’s current checklist, I believe the way it is used causes it to become a rather different set of procedures. Here are a couple of quick examples: Is the checklist used for the exterior preflight? Is it read thoroughly for the starting engines procedure? I think I will receive almost 100% agreement that scrupulous attention to every checklist challenge and response line is very rarely, if ever, made during these procedures. Is this a bad thing? In my opinion, an emphatic “No!” is the answer.
I hope that you’ve all heard of the difference between a CHECKlist and a DOlist. When an airplane is brand- new to the pilot, he/she must be directed what to DO and exactly how to DO it. This is, of course, expected since the whole process is totally new. With practice and experience comes the knowledge that allows the instructions governing what to do during a particular checklist step to get relegated to the “back seat” of the braincells and the procedure can be thoroughly and safely accomplished without following the step-by-step
PHOTO CREDIT: KING AIR ACADEMY
20 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
APRIL 2023