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Old 09-03-2006, 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by TravisUK View Post
Just curious as to how the checklist/flow systems work in a 121 enviorment and if I can apply it even in a single engine enviorment. The way I was tought was read the item, do the action, then go back to the next item on the list. But I heard that airlines (or turbine aircrafts) use flows instead because if you are taking that slow to go over each item you could burn up something. So for example do you have a start up flow that you use to start the engine then go through the checklist to verify you have done everything? Thanks for any advice, i want to start a good habit now.

As noted, there are two different types of checklists, the read and do and the flow. Generally the flow is for normal checklists and it is indeed a check list.. you are checking to make sure things have been done. The read and do is more often used in an Emergency/Abnormal checklist where sequence and procedure are often specific.

Each checklist has its weakness. The Flow, if not used correctly, will be rushed though and items will be missed. If you search the NASA database you will find lots of incidents where pilots called a switch in a specific position as required for the response or that they had the required fuel and they were just responding.. not checking.

The Emergency checklist has a weakness and that is guys rush through it also but miss steps.

Many, if not most of the airlines, have abandoned a lot of the memory items. The old axiom of "I read the checklist I do every day and have to memorize the checklist I do once a year" finally registered and after seeing guys muff the memory items, it was decided in most cases to just read the checklist. Granted, in turboprops and recips, you may have less time but in jets, there should be no rush to accomplish items.

For engine starts, know the malfunctions and responses but have the checklist handy.
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