Laminated Checklist Recommendation

[hornet02]

I’ve laminated my own checklists before at the flight school I used to work at. I wanted some checklist consistency between the
airplanes. For my own plane I wanted a slightly more professional look. I like the layout and look of the Navy work plane pocket checklist. I also like the paper it is on. I found teraslate paper TerraSlate Waterproof Laser Printing Paper. Bought from Amazon. It’s waterproof, highly tear and dirt/smudge resistant, and prints easy in a laser printer. It’s also not glossy like most of the laminated checklist are. Front side is perf charts and normal procedures and the back side is emergency procedures. I also added hard plastic front and back cover using cable rings to hold together. All pages are tabbed on the side to open to the appropriate page quickly.

 

[walkinghispath]

I’ve laminated my own checklists before at the flight school I used to work at. I wanted some checklist consistency between the
airplanes. For my own plane I wanted a slightly more professional look. I like the layout and look of the Navy work plane pocket checklist. I also like the paper it is on. I found teraslate paper TerraSlate Waterproof Laser Printing Paper. Bought from Amazon. It’s waterproof, highly tear and dirt/smudge resistant, and prints easy in a laser printer. It’s also not glossy like most of the laminated checklist are. Front side is perf charts and normal procedures and the back side is emergency procedures. I also added hard plastic front and back cover using cable rings to hold together. All pages are tabbed on the side to open to the appropriate page quickly.

That’s BA! I’m going to order some. Which thickness do you use?

 

[hornet02]

I used the 8mil paper. If i did it again, I might consider the 10 mil. But I'm happy with the 8.

 

[murphey]

I prefer the laminated version....multi-purpose. When it's really hot in the summer, the pages are great as fans. In the winter, suitable for scraping ice off the windshield of the car.

 

[N4655R]

I think you misread what I wrote. My method does not do that. I use one tank for start up and taxi to the run-up area, then switch before run-up to the takeoff and climb tank. That way the fuel lines from both wings are checked prior to flight.

Leaving it on the same tank until airborne is a good way to find out there’s a problem in the worst possible way.

No, we do understand. From the beginning of the run up to take off, is not enough time to know there is a problem with the tank or fuel line. The plane could literally run for 15 minutes with a clogged fuel line. It's better to do all on one tank, then at altitude switch tanks as necessary. If there is a problem with the 2nd tank, you can always switch back to the 1st one.

 

[walkinghispath]

No, we do understand. From the beginning of the run up to take off, is not enough time to know there is a problem with the tank or fuel line. The plane could literally run for 15 minutes with a clogged fuel line. It's better to do all on one tank, then at altitude switch tanks as necessary. If there is a problem with the 2nd tank, you can always switch back to the 1st one.

What are you basing that time off of?

 

[N4655R]

What are you basing that time off of?

 

[walkinghispath]

Ok, so you’re referring to a blocked vent line. That should be caught on preflight by listening for air movement when opening the fuel cap to verify the fuel level in the tank (and pour in the contents of the GATS jar). I teach that on the first lesson.

In the case of a blocked line, the engine would almost immediately lose power. It makes zero sense to wait till you’re at altitude to find out if you’ve had a single point of failure up to that point.

In the case of the 4-tank Cherokee Six or 235, there could easily be air in the lines from running the tip tanks dry. That can cause the engine to stumble until fuel is drawn through the line.

In all cases, on the ground is the best place to identify a fuel system fault.

 

[N4655R]

Ok, so you’re referring to a blocked vent line. That should be caught on preflight by listening for air movement when opening the fuel cap to verify the fuel level in the tank (and pour in the contents of the GATS jar). I teach that on the first lesson.

Really? With 2 vents? You can hear air movement? Ok. Safe travels.

In the case of a blocked line, the engine would almost immediately lose power.

Unless it's only partially blocked.

 

[Orest @ CYFD]

1) The fuel selector is set to the lowest tank (or lighter side) on start-up and remains there through taxi. It is then switched to the opposite tank on run-up. This tests both fuel systems. For 4-tankers, you might do start-up, taxi, run-up, and taxi prior to takeoff.

In my view, a bad idea. Please reconsider.

It can take as long as four to five minutes to runout the supply from the first selected line, and to fully test it. You do not want to find out you have a bad line just after takeoff, at 500ft. Prove it out yourself -- while on the groud, instead of flipping tanks turn the selector to OFF, and see how long it takes for the engine to shutdown.

I would suggest not flipping tanks or otherwise playing with the fuel tank selector before takeoff. Unless there is a critical operational need, I do not switch tanks below 5000ft, and only at cruise and not on the ground.

* Orest