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One of the best and safest ways to become familiar with these procedures is in a flight
simulator designed for your particular make and model of aircraft. Since the majority
of the smaller general aviation aircraft do not have simulators, there is another way
to become proficient in such aircraft at no cost when the actual aircraft is available
and not in use. Just get into the aircraft with the owner's manual and begin to
familiarize yourself with the location of the knobs, switches, and handles in the cockpit,
and the pattern that develops when running the checklist. Some flight training
institutions require their students to pass what is known as a "blindfold cockpit
check," which is literally just that. You have to memorize the location of each
item in the cockpit, then put on a blindfold and be able to touch each item called out
by the check pilot without being able to look for it. If this seems a little extreme,
think how invaluable this ability would be during a high-workload situation under single-
pilot operations. Envision yourself alone in the cockpit on a dark and stormy night on
an instrument approach when the landing gear indicator does not indicate a normal down
and locked position. It certainly would be nice to know exactly where the landing gear
motor and landing gear circuit breakers are, so that you could reach over and feel to see
if they are popped. The alternative would be to have to look for them, which could
compromise your scan or, worse, possibly induce vertigo.
When using a static aircraft as a training device, you should run through all the checklists
as many times as necessary to become thoroughly familiar with their content and the
location of all the controls and items contained in the list or lists. Do each item that
can be safely done on a static aircraft. However, do not move the landing
gear handle at any time during this training activity. Also, be aware
that there may be other persons around the aircraft when you are operating such items
as flaps and spoilers, so you must use extreme caution when activating such devices. When
applying power to any aircraft or staring any aircraft, you must alway ensure the safety
of others in the immediate area. You must never apply power when others are working on
an aircraft without coordinating your actions with those doing the work. The reverse is
also true. When you are working on an aircraft, you should either lock out or mark those
controls and switches that would endanger you if someone inadvertently activated them
while you are working on the aircraft. This is particularly true when you are working
on large aircraft where you may be out of sight of someone in the cockpit.
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