Narrative:

A recent change to the B777 before takeoff checklist has removed the stabilizer trim check as a separate item and combined it with the takeoff data and bugs item. This change contributed to the fact that we took off with the wrong trim setting. During rotation I noticed the aircraft pitch feel was unusually light and after we had cleaned up, we noticed the trim setting was several degrees more nose-up than required. Historically, after the load closeout is received, B777 crews will adjust the zero fuel weight and center of gravity in the FMS and then, under the old checklist, the flight instruments and bugs would be checked against the tps and FMS. The next item (stabilizer trim) would direct your attention to the pedestal to check that setting. This is also normally the first time after hydraulic power is on the airplane that the trim would be set. Under the new checklist, one now has to remember to check the stabilizer trim along with the flight instruments. While this is not an insurmountable task, stabilizer trim is a highly critical item and combining it with another checklist item does not make sense. It is not less critical than flaps, which is still a separate item on the checklist. I believe this change needs to be reconsidered and reversed at the next opportunity, and I would certainly discourage it from being spread to the other fleets. Supplemental information from acn 636215: while conducting a takeoff, we omitted to properly input the correct stabilizer trim and experienced a faster than normal rotation rate. Takeoff was normal other than this and no other out of the ordinary events occurred. The reason for this omission was the implementation of a new checklist that incorporates stabilizer trim in one item that's intended to reduce checklist items to be completed before takeoff. It was the first flight for us using this new checklist and our experience made us more aware from then on but this item should not be omitted from our lists.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER A BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST CHANGE WAS MADE, A B777 FLT CREW MISSED THE STABILIZER TRIM CHK ON THEIR PREDEP CHKS AND EXPERIENCED A FASTER ROTATION THAN NORMAL ON TKOF AT EGKK.

Narrative: A RECENT CHANGE TO THE B777 BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST HAS REMOVED THE STABILIZER TRIM CHK AS A SEPARATE ITEM AND COMBINED IT WITH THE TKOF DATA AND BUGS ITEM. THIS CHANGE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FACT THAT WE TOOK OFF WITH THE WRONG TRIM SETTING. DURING ROTATION I NOTICED THE ACFT PITCH FEEL WAS UNUSUALLY LIGHT AND AFTER WE HAD CLEANED UP, WE NOTICED THE TRIM SETTING WAS SEVERAL DEGS MORE NOSE-UP THAN REQUIRED. HISTORICALLY, AFTER THE LOAD CLOSEOUT IS RECEIVED, B777 CREWS WILL ADJUST THE ZERO FUEL WT AND CTR OF GRAVITY IN THE FMS AND THEN, UNDER THE OLD CHKLIST, THE FLT INSTS AND BUGS WOULD BE CHKED AGAINST THE TPS AND FMS. THE NEXT ITEM (STABILIZER TRIM) WOULD DIRECT YOUR ATTN TO THE PEDESTAL TO CHK THAT SETTING. THIS IS ALSO NORMALLY THE FIRST TIME AFTER HYD PWR IS ON THE AIRPLANE THAT THE TRIM WOULD BE SET. UNDER THE NEW CHKLIST, ONE NOW HAS TO REMEMBER TO CHK THE STABILIZER TRIM ALONG WITH THE FLT INSTS. WHILE THIS IS NOT AN INSURMOUNTABLE TASK, STABILIZER TRIM IS A HIGHLY CRITICAL ITEM AND COMBINING IT WITH ANOTHER CHKLIST ITEM DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. IT IS NOT LESS CRITICAL THAN FLAPS, WHICH IS STILL A SEPARATE ITEM ON THE CHKLIST. I BELIEVE THIS CHANGE NEEDS TO BE RECONSIDERED AND REVERSED AT THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY, AND I WOULD CERTAINLY DISCOURAGE IT FROM BEING SPREAD TO THE OTHER FLEETS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 636215: WHILE CONDUCTING A TKOF, WE OMITTED TO PROPERLY INPUT THE CORRECT STABILIZER TRIM AND EXPERIENCED A FASTER THAN NORMAL ROTATION RATE. TKOF WAS NORMAL OTHER THAN THIS AND NO OTHER OUT OF THE ORDINARY EVENTS OCCURRED. THE REASON FOR THIS OMISSION WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW CHKLIST THAT INCORPORATES STABILIZER TRIM IN ONE ITEM THAT'S INTENDED TO REDUCE CHKLIST ITEMS TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE TKOF. IT WAS THE FIRST FLT FOR US USING THIS NEW CHKLIST AND OUR EXPERIENCE MADE US MORE AWARE FROM THEN ON BUT THIS ITEM SHOULD NOT BE OMITTED FROM OUR LISTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.