MacMillan USA
We use a lot of checklists in our office and in the field. New York Times Bestseller The Checklist Manifesto provides a commonsense approach to getting things done. It’s written by MacArthur Fellow and general and endocrine surgeon Atul Gawande.
With so much information being thrown at us, smartphones buzzing in our pockets and distractions caused by information overload can easily turn a simple task into a complete disaster. Simplifying work in the office or in the field with checklists can keep you on task and provide you with not only a sense of accomplishment, but also the peace of mind that the job was done safely and correctly.
Checklists save lives in operating rooms across the globe every day. A checklist served me, my youngest son, and my mother-in-law at about 2,500 feet in the air. I’m a pilot.
One weekend we had flown up to see my oldest son Chris perform in the band at a Northwestern State University football game. We had a great time, but shortly after takeoff, as we climbed through 2,500 feet, I (and my son) noticed a gentle vibration. It started to get worse and worse, more and more pronounced. I eventually had to kill the engine and figure out how I was going to get the plane back on the ground in one piece. Do you know what the first thing you do when you have engine problems? FLY THE PLANE. Secondly, find your checklist and go through it.
For example:
• Check airspeed.
• FLY THE AIRPLANE!
• Fuel Shutoff Valve–ON (IN)
• Fuel Selector–BOTH
• Auxiliary Fuel Pump–ON
• Mixture–RICH
• Ignition Switch–BOTH
The engine was shot, but going through the checklist verified that. So I then had the task of finding a place to land. As luck would have it, we had enough altitude to glide the plane back to the runway. Mission accomplished.
Believe it or not, it happened again when I was flying up to Indianapolis to see the Indy 500. We were close to Memphis, Tenn., and I forgot to switch fuel tanks from right to left after climbing to altitude. Guess what? Engines don’t run very well without a steady stream of fuel. So what did I do? Got out the checklist. Shortly after going through it, I realized what was wrong and got the plane running again. We went ahead and landed in Memphis just to be safe, but the point is, we all make mistakes, and checklists can help prevent and/or identify problems (guess what I added to my departure checklist? Yes, now I switch fuel tanks after I’ve reached altitude).
Have checklists come in handy for you? Leave a comment below and let me know how. I look forward to hearing from you.
Wynn L. White, P.E. has been solving problems for clients for over 40 years. Have a question? Contact him here.
