Whether you’re a seasoned pilot or a student in training, you’ve probably heard of preflight checklists. It plays an important role in aviation safety by ensuring that pilots don’t forget any critical tasks. Pilots will start at the top of the preflight checklist. After checking off each task one by one, pilots can then take off from the runway.
Overview of Preflight Checklists
A preflight checklist is a list of procedures that pilots must perform before taking off. Its origins can be traced back to the mid-1930s, during which a Boeing Model 299 crashed in Dayton, Ohio. Investigators determined that the pilots of the Model 299 forgot to deactivate the gust locks, which ultimately led to the crash. In the following years, preflight checklists were created for the Model 299 and many other types of airplanes.
Breaking Down a Typical Preflight Checklist
While preflight checklists vary depending on the type of airplane, many of them share the same essential tasks.
Common procedures or items on a preflight checklist include the following:
- Perform an inspection of the airplane’s exterior, visually checking parts like flaps and hatches for signs of damage or defect.
- Fasten seatbelts.
- Check the fuel gauge.
- Test the airplane’s brakes.
- Test electrical equipment.
- Ensure that flight controls, such as the yoke, are able to move freely and not stuck or otherwise defective.
- Check oil levels and engine inlet for obstructions.
- Ensure propeller blades are clear (if applicable).
- Monitor engine gauges for oil pressure, temperature, fuel flow and RPM.
- Verify communications with air traffic control (ATC).
Is a Preflight Checklist Required?
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires commercial airline pilots to use a preflight checklist. It’s an essential safety process that reduces the risk of human error while subsequently creating a safer flying experience for pilots and passengers alike.
According to the FAA, preflight checklists must include items necessary for pilots to check for safety before starting engines, taking off, landing and in emergencies. The FAA also says that these procedures must be designed so that pilots won’t need to remember them. In other words, the procedures must be on a checklist that pilots or other crewmembers can reference when needed.
In Conclusion
Before taking off, pilots will typically go through a list of tasks to ensure the safety of the airplane and everyone onboard. Known as a preflight checklist, it typically consists of dozens of tasks. Pilots may perform an inspection of the airplane’s exterior, check the gauges, fasten their seatbelts and more.
