CONTROL COLUMN Checklist Confusion

Just like airplanes evolve, so too do checklists. You wouldn’t think these low-tech staples of safety would change much, but as designers learn more about human factors, the way checklists are organized and communicate information to the pilot has changed.

Often checklists reflect the era in which the airplane was manufactured, as is the case with the Twin Commander. Instructor Barry Lane said the checklists on early Commanders feature mid-century thinking, and development didn’t ramp up on the pilot manuals and checklists until Gulfstream and the 695. As an example, Lane said the 690 POH is twice as thick as the 695.

The modern trend is QRHs or quick reference handbooks. These brief, direct guides are like cheat sheets that guide pilots clearly through various unusual and emergency situations. Because factory approved versions don’t exist for the Commanders, Lane said he constantly gets questions from clients, especially those who have experience flying modern turbine aircraft, if they can make their own checklist. The answer? Maybe.

The FAA doesn’t prohibit a pilot from using her own checklist, whether she made it personally or purchased it commercially. However, in 2017 the agency released a Safety Alert for Operators that basically said to be very careful if you’re planning to deviate from the manufacturer’s approved checklist. They used the example of a pilot who was unable to lower the landing gear because the aftermarket checklist he was using didn’t include some very important cautions and information from the manufacturer.

We know we need to be careful, but is it illegal or does it void your insurance if you make a checklist and something goes wrong, even if it isn’t directly related to the checklist? There’s not a clear answer, and Lane said he cautions pilots and owners on the potential risks.

 Those flying in the 135 world have it a bit easier. The operation’s POI can sign off on an amended checklist, effectively putting all the pilots on the same page, and offering some cover if something were to happen.

Because sometimes you can’t deny the benefits of improving on a manufacturer’s checklist. “Part of the reason people struggle with legacy airplanes is because of the checklists,” Lane said. “We have to have a different mindset and strategy when it comes to checklists. You have to read everything the checklist is not telling us, such as the associated systems that will be impacted in a failure.” Some things are lacking on checklists, some are poorly organized, and sometimes there’s too much information.

Lane said there’s a section in the Twin Commander checklist that is the same regardless of model. Yet one airplane has a single main bus while another has a split main bus system. (The split main bus was introduced in the late serial number 690C, 690D, 695A and all 695B models. Interestingly the 695 did not have a split main bus.) If you follow this standard checklist without a critical eye you’ll make your panel go blank during the flow while trying to resolve a problem. The only indication that something is amiss is a small footnote that explains that certain serial numbers have an alternate procedure. Striking the offending tasks seems like a straightforward thing to do, but that would come under the banner of modifying a checklist. So what do you do?

“I’m not going to throw rocks at you if you make your own checklist, but it has to include all the language from the factory checklist,” he said. Which is exactly the FAA’s point when it issued the SAFO. Some customization is likely to be ok, but eliminating items for brevity, or major reorganizations could quickly lead you down a bad path.

Note the checklist with same name and the only point of delineation is the small superscript and the footnote.