Flight crew complaint about checklist format.

Attributes
ACN	98047
Time
Date	198811
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5500
ASRS Report	98047
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

Company uses checklist printed on heavy paper laminated between 2 layers of plastic in their cockpits. I am concerned with the layout of the checklists. Our originating and intermediate checklist for the medium large transport has a large gap between the challenge and the response. This gap is bridged with a row of dots to make it easier for the pilot to keep track of which response goes with which challenge. The row of dots is much less effective than a narrower gap would be. The other lists, on the reverse of the card, are printed in 2 columns and there is no room for such a large space between the challenge and the response. They are much easier to read and keep track of your place. I encourage writers of checklists to keep items that go together as close as possible on the list. If additional space is desired, space the lines farther apart, not the columns. Also see enclosures: my letter to association safety committee chairman; a copy of company checklist, front and back.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW COMPLAINT ABOUT CHECKLIST FORMAT.

Narrative: COMPANY USES CHKLIST PRINTED ON HEAVY PAPER LAMINATED BTWN 2 LAYERS OF PLASTIC IN THEIR COCKPITS. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE LAYOUT OF THE CHKLISTS. OUR ORIGINATING AND INTERMEDIATE CHKLIST FOR THE MLG HAS A LARGE GAP BTWN THE CHALLENGE AND THE RESPONSE. THIS GAP IS BRIDGED WITH A ROW OF DOTS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE PLT TO KEEP TRACK OF WHICH RESPONSE GOES WITH WHICH CHALLENGE. THE ROW OF DOTS IS MUCH LESS EFFECTIVE THAN A NARROWER GAP WOULD BE. THE OTHER LISTS, ON THE REVERSE OF THE CARD, ARE PRINTED IN 2 COLUMNS AND THERE IS NO ROOM FOR SUCH A LARGE SPACE BTWN THE CHALLENGE AND THE RESPONSE. THEY ARE MUCH EASIER TO READ AND KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PLACE. I ENCOURAGE WRITERS OF CHKLISTS TO KEEP ITEMS THAT GO TOGETHER AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE ON THE LIST. IF ADDITIONAL SPACE IS DESIRED, SPACE THE LINES FARTHER APART, NOT THE COLUMNS. ALSO SEE ENCLOSURES: MY LETTER TO ASSOCIATION SAFETY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN; A COPY OF COMPANY CHKLIST, FRONT AND BACK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.