Table 1 .
Questions and pilots’ answers regarding ‘logistics of the checklist’
| Question | Answers |
|---|---|
| How many checklists do you carry out? | • There is one main checklist . . . The main tool we use is interactive briefings . . . the checklists are more for wrapping things up. We always do briefings as a first step for every departure • There are also interactive briefings and debriefings. The pilots carry out a flight brief in the office which covers all the general aspects of the flight and issues including route, weather, turbulence. We then have a whole crew brief during which the issues which may affect them are covered • One, with different sections containing a certain number of checks for each stage of the flight |
| In what format is the checklist? | • The main checklist used is one side of A4, on a laminated sheet • On one page • It’s on one laminated card |
| How many pilots have to engage in the checklist? | • Two pilots • Two – the two pilots • Two pilots |
| Who leads the checklist? | • Of the two pilots involved, one is ‘flying’ and one is ‘monitoring’. A read and response method is used, where the ‘flying’ pilot will call for the checklist; the ‘monitoring’ pilot will call out each checklist item and the ‘flying’ pilot will confirm • One person calls for the checklist items, and the other person does all the actions • You read them out aloud and the other pilot acknowledges them or gives the answer |
| At what point in the flight is the checklist carried out? | • Before and after start, before and after take-off, before approach, landing. They also encourage us to do a post-flight review where you go through saying ‘oh did that work how we thought it would, could it have gone better’ • Before, during and after the flight • Before take-off, then once you’re airborne, and before you land |
| How long does the checklist usually take? | • Each section of the A4 sheet takes less than 30 seconds, it is all pretty quick • 30 seconds or so • Regarding the briefings: If we’re just flying in and out of our main base, you can just whizz through, but if you’re going somewhere that you haven’t been before, or somewhere that’s more challenging, it can be quite a bit longer |