As a CFI there are a few checklist items you’ll want to run for yourself to make sure that “the things that can kill you” have been properly covered by your student. Of course the dedicated and focused flight instructor will have been following along as their student goes through their checklist, making sure to follow through and check every item. But let’s just assume, for a moment, that flight instructors can get relaxed, especially with advanced students, and perhaps they don’t pay as much attention as they should, all the time.

These, in my opinion, are the checks you MUST make. I’d suggest that you commit these items to memory, but if you’re memory is as bad as mine and you want to keep them discreetly written on your kneeboard somewhere, well so be it.

If you have any comments on this article please feel free to e-mail me.

Pre-Flight

Check the squawks on the aircraft. You’d expect your student to brief you on any problems with the plane, but you’ll be a whole lot better prepared if you know that the only comm. radio in the plane has consistently been squawked as :”intermittent” only to be signed off as “checks OK”.

As you walk out to the plane make sure to give it the once over from a distance, because you’re probably not going to give the plane a thorough check up close (tends to reduce the student’s confidence). Make sure the control surfaces all generally look OK, tires inflated, struts not fully compressed etc.

You need to check the fuel and oil, visually. You can either do this yourself or watch you student do it, but don’t just walk out there and have the student say “we’re good to go” without checking. I once nearly set off on a cross-country with a pilot who told me “the fuel in the left tank is just below the tab” when it barely covered the bottom of the tank.

Make sure the tie-downs are off, that’s why I like to be last into the plane, once last glance. If they’re left attached that’s fine, good lesson for the student, but DO NOT let them taxi off!

Pre-Takeoff

You’ll be keeping an eye out during the magneto check, if only because you’ll want to being paying attention at the start of the runup to make sure the brakes are being held.

The rest you can check as the brakes are released to taxi onto the runway (you are checking for traffic as well, right?).

Trim – takeoff is nice, but just make sure it’s not excessively nose high or nose low, or be prepared to help on the controls as the student discovers the problem.

Power – is everything full-forward? Mixture, propeller, carb. heat? Fuel selectors OK and any boost pumps turned on?

Flaps – set as appropriate?

Transponder – on ALT – what can I say, it’s just good practice.

Lights – whatever you want, but make sure you know what’s on and what the options are.

These are sort of listed in importance, although reasonable people can of course differ. You’ll probably want to use the first three on touch and go work as well.

Before Landing

This is a short final check to make sure you’ve got everything before you commit to impact. A GUMPF check is a perfectly good check to employ here, but just in case you’ve forgotten what to cover.

Gear – easy to say, harder to do, and there are plenty of aircraft and people to prove the point.

Power – mixture rich, propeller high, carb. heat on (as required), fuel selected and boost pumps on?

Flaps – set as appropriate?