"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...


I realize you were just a student pilot at the time, but I find it
curious that the word checklist is not mentioned anywhere in your
article.

I have never taught, nor been taught, to hold the checklist in hand when
doing a preflight. When doing your preflight, you have a huge memory aid in
front of you; the airplane itself! You should do it the same way every time.
If you get interrupted, don't be shy about backing up a few steps or even
starting over from the start. You are supposed to be giving that airframe your
full attention, you need both hands free to shake things, tweak things, feel
things, climb up on things etc. You certainly should not have a checklist in
one hand and a pencil in the other.

Once in the cockpit, and preferably before you strap in, you should pick up
the checklist and mentally review every item in your preflight looking
especially for omissions.

Vaughn