I want to thank each and every one of you for taking your time. I will have to compile a checklist until I become proficient and hopefully it will be second nature someday. Thanks again! Looking forward to getting some flying in and making those approaches as near to perfect as I can!

Our school preaches ALARMS

A-ATIS
L-Landing Checklist
A-Approach Brief
R-Radios (Nav and Coms set for approach)
M-Mag Compass(Sync with DG)/Markers (On)/ Miss Approach briefed
S-Systems (GUMP)

I'm not a particular fan of the order but its what our Examiners want so I teach that.

What does brakes mean on this one? I have heard it before but forget what it means. Feet on the brakes maybe or to set the speedbrakes before landing?

Brakes
 

In the Mooney with toe brakes, it would mean feet off of the brakes, rudder only. I'm sure it means something else to the big boys (or gals).

Good question!!!

It's a brake check - press on the brakes to see if they are firm or squishy as part of the descent/approach check to check if you've lost hydraulic fluid.

I am training in a 172 classic and so I am mainly concerned about setting up for the approach. As far as the airplane goes, carb heat on, power set, a notch of flaps, gear down and locked I wish :)
Nevertheless, I got more than what I wanted and thank you again! I better get busy and start compiling that checklist.

C-172 carburated, the carb heat you apply it before reducing the power to iddle. At least if you are above the carb icing temperature.

Follow the recommendations of the POH-AFM of course. But the idea with carb heat would be to apply it well before a reduction of power leads to loss of the engine due to ice in the carb throat. You might not know there is carb ice until the power reduction, so it is a good idea to apply the carb heat well ahead of final approach. Waiting until you are already on final may mean losing the engine at a bad time. Because carb heat takes away quite a bit of power on most engines I prefer to do a quick carb-icing test while I am still at a good altitude (1,000 or so) and just leave it off unless of course I detect carb ice. That's just me and I do not know anyone else who does that.

That's a good one. Well I live in Puerto Rico...I just add carbheat only when leaving the airplane in idle. (Because the POH said so) :p

I never saw it the way you wrote it...and it seems pretty obvious and safe for me. I'll tell that to my students from now on.

In some of the aircraft that I have flown it was basically 'brakes pump firm', meaning that you tested the brakes and if they went to the floor you didn't have any hydraulic pressure or in the latest airplane - when you hit the stick brake handle the hydraulic system would show a pressure.

USMCFLYR

Edit - Noy beat me too it - sorry for the duplication.