COPTERSAFETY PHOTO


KEEPING UP By Matt Presnal


How Do You Keep Your Training


in Check? Following the checklist regularly ensures you’ll know the steps to follow when you need them most.


W 68 ROTOR SEPTEMBER 2021


HEN I WAS A YOUNG AVIATOR IN THE US Army 21 years ago, I picked up some bad habits on deployment. I had become


complacent about referring to the aircraft checklist for each flight and, instead, memorized a lot of it. I thought this meant my knowledge of my aircraft was thorough and that recalling checklist items from memory con- firmed how much I knew. When I started flight training, my bad habits showed


like a red warning light on the instrument panel. I vividly remember being on downwind to land after a day of training, and my instructor made the callout for me to perform a before-landing check. I immediately responded verbally with the action steps and a “check complete,” all while my checklist remained closed at my side. My instructor paused, gave me a steely side-eye glance, and asked if I was going to use the checklist for


my before-landing check. He reminded me that using a checklist is a sign of professionalism, not an indicator of weakness or lack of knowledge. I came away from that humbling experience with a greater understanding of the importance of following procedures consistently, every time. As a result, I’ve now developed some good habits—habits I encourage my students and other pilots to practice.


Rely on Memory for Emergency Procedures Only


More than half (52%) of all errors that happen during flight are procedural, according to The University of Texas at Austin Human Factors Research Project, the most common occurring when the pilot attempts to recite the checklist from memory. Many accident investigations list as causal factors the crews not using checklists and


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