Checklists: Why do I Need To Use Them?

As you go through your flying career, whatever flying from GA to Part 121, there is always the checklist! Some pilots have said "I've owned my plane for years and have everything memorized." Or the Part 135 pilot that had a great career with a major and now flies smaller planes and feels they don't really need a check list every time. What if you are at a busy airport and there are planes lined up behind you? You just flew last week, you feel like you remember it well.

Yes, you do, but how do you behave in an emergency? What happens to your memory when an engine quits or a fire starts? Are you calm and go through the check list that you memorized or do you get into a little of a panic and forget the memory items? Lots of questions so far, but if you ever had an emergency, you would quickly realize the importance of having the checklist.

In the airlines or Part 135 operations the pilot flying continues to fly while the right seat goes through the emergency procedure and troubleshoots the problem then after determining what the problems is both pilots come up with a plan of action and most times, they are successful in getting on the ground safely.

This is due to the design of the plane systems but also the ability of the flight crew to correctly trouble shoot the problem. There are exceptions of course.

If Capt. Sully would have just reacted, could he have made it back to the airport? What are the chances he would have guessed right? Being a combat veteran could have given him some benefits on reacting but most of us are not combat vets.

So when you fly your plane, use the checklist, so you don't forget some little thing that causes a big issue later on. It happens all the time; like forgetting to put the mags back on, then having problems taking off and clearing some power lines. That emergency check list just saved the off-field landing. So, remain calm, use the checklist, and fly safe. Whether you are flying one person or 300, you have a lot of responsibility, but also have one of the best things to do ever, breaking away from gravity and feeling the thrill of flight.