ABSTRACT
Before getting into the activities of flying, let’s take a moment to review the concept of checklists. There is a need for adventuresome spirit in flying, but it must be tempered with a well-disciplined adherence to the “rules of the game.” One of those rules is to use the published checklists. They may be used to check to see that you have accomplished all of the requisite items or as a “do” list, checking off each item as you do it. Either way, it is an assurance that the critical items for each phase of flight, including emergency procedures, are accomplished. The “do” list approach often slows the pilot in accomplishing the tasks, but it is a means of developing habit patterns that can later be “checked” once the pilot has become familiar with the routine. Whether a “do” list or a “check” list, it is very important for persons who fly different airplanes or who fly infrequently.
