Flight School
Core· 4 min read

Numbers, notes, and the stuff you only check sometimes

When a value matters, write the value. When context matters, leave yourself a note.

A response is only as useful as it is specific. "Tires, checked" tells you nothing next month. "Tires, 30 / 30 psi" tells you when one is going soft. Wherever a number exists (tire pressure, oil quantity, an RPM drop limit) put the number in.

Leave yourself notes

Some lines aren't checks at all. They're reference you want at a glance: which lights in which conditions, the speed and gear/flap sequence for a normal versus a performance takeoff, the IFR instrument checks you fold into the post-start taxi. Put them inline, right where you'll look.

The occasional items

Cleaning the windshield, checking tire pressures, an extra fuel sump after fueling: these aren't every-flight items and there's no rule for when to do them. The value is just being reminded to think about them. A gentle "consider these" beats either ignoring them or pretending they're on a hard schedule.