Learn how to use aircraft checklists in a flight simulator, choose read-and-do or flow-and-check, and fix items that do not match the cockpit.
Use an aircraft checklist in a flight simulator by selecting the checklist for the exact aircraft and variant, completing each item at its named flight phase, and verifying the indicated switch, instrument or condition. Beginners should use read-and-do; experienced crews usually perform a memorised cockpit flow, then use the checklist to confirm it.
For Aviation & Real-World Flying practice, treat the checklist as a disciplined verification tool rather than a list to tick as quickly as possible. Its purpose is to catch omissions while keeping your attention on controlling the aircraft.
Which aircraft checklist should I use?
Use the checklist supplied for the simulated aircraft whenever one is available, because cockpit equipment and procedures can differ between variants of the same type. Check the engine, avionics, optional equipment and assumed starting state before beginning.
- Aircraft-specific simulator checklist: best when it matches the systems actually modelled by that aircraft or add-on.
- POH, AFM or operating-manual checklist: suitable when it covers the correct real aircraft variant and the simulator reproduces the relevant systems.
- Generic checklist: acceptable for learning broad phases, but it should not be used to guess switch positions, speeds or limitations.
A real-world checklist is not automatically the best simulator checklist. An add-on may omit equipment, combine controls or represent a different production variant. For a practical light-aircraft example, follow our phase-by-phase Cessna 172 checklist workflow.
How do I use a checklist from preflight to shutdown?
Work through each checklist only when its named trigger or flight phase has been reached. A typical sequence is preflight, before start, after start, taxi or run-up, before take-off, climb, cruise, descent, approach, landing, after landing and shutdown, although the exact divisions vary by aircraft.
- Set the correct starting state. Determine whether the checklist assumes cold and dark, engines running or ready for departure. A cold-start checklist will not make sense if the simulator has already configured the aeroplane.
- Read one item at a time. Identify the named control, perform the action, and then verify the expected indication. For
Fuel selector — BOTH, for example, inspect the selector itself rather than trusting an automatic tick or cockpit highlight. - Confirm the response. Say the response aloud or mentally acknowledge it only after the condition is true. Switch movement alone is not enough if the associated light, gauge or status display disagrees.
- Observe the timing. Do not pre-complete items whose condition can change. Landing gear is confirmed down only after selection and a valid down indication; a take-off configuration check belongs close enough to departure that later changes cannot invalidate it.
- Handle interruptions deliberately. If ATC, traffic or an aircraft-control problem interrupts you, return to the last positively confirmed item. Restarting a short checklist is safer than guessing where you stopped.
- Protect critical flight phases. Finish ground checks while stationary where practical. During take-off, approach and landing, fly the aircraft first; pause simulator training if necessary, but check whether that pause mode also freezes systems and aircraft motion.
- Call the checklist complete. Do not silently ignore an unfinished item. Resolve it, mark it not applicable for a genuine configuration difference, or treat it as a fault requiring another procedure.
Some simulators provide an interactive panel, while other aircraft place checklists on an electronic flight bag, kneeboard or separate document. Microsoft Flight Simulator users can review how to access the toolbar and its built-in checklist tools, but availability and automatic item detection vary between aircraft.
Should I use read-and-do or flow-and-check?
Use read-and-do while learning an aircraft, and use flow-and-check only after learning the correct cockpit flow from that aircraft's procedures.
| Method | How it works | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Read-and-do | Read an item, perform it, verify it and continue. | Beginners, unfamiliar aircraft and infrequently used procedures. |
| Flow-and-check | Configure a cockpit area from memory, then use the checklist to catch omissions. | Familiar aircraft with a documented flow, especially complex types. |
| Challenge-and-response | One crew member reads each challenge and another confirms the aircraft state. | Multicrew simulation and airline-style crew coordination. |
A checklist is not a substitute for learning the flow. In an airliner, randomly following the printed items may leave unlisted setup tasks unfinished because the checklist verifies only safety-critical points. Our A320 flow-and-check sequence shows how the cockpit flow and verification checklist work together.
Why does the simulator checklist not match the cockpit?
A mismatch usually means the checklist, aircraft variant, starting state or simulator automation does not agree with the loaded cockpit.
- The control is missing: confirm that the checklist covers the same engine, avionics and equipment configuration.
- An item is already completed: the aircraft may have loaded in a ready-to-fly state, or an assistance feature may have configured it automatically.
- A switch moves back: duplicate keyboard, controller or hardware assignments may be sending a conflicting command. Remove the duplicate binding and synchronise physical switches with the cockpit.
- An interactive item will not register: verify the actual control and indication manually. Checklist detection can be incomplete even when the aircraft is configured correctly.
- The system is not simulated: mark the item not applicable only after confirming that the feature is genuinely absent. Do not substitute a convenient switch merely to clear the item.
A mistake we see constantly is treating the simulator's blue highlight, completion tick or automatic assistance as proof that the aircraft is correctly configured. The cockpit indication is the final check.
Is a checklist the same as a procedure?
No: a procedure explains how and why to perform a task, while a checklist is a compact verification of essential conditions. A checklist might say Flight controls — FREE AND CORRECT, but the expanded procedure explains how far to move them, what to observe and how to recognise an obstruction or reversed control axis.
When learning a new aircraft, study the manual or expanded procedure first and keep the checklist visible during practice. Once the actions and indications are familiar, the shorter checklist becomes useful rather than cryptic.
How should I use emergency checklists?
Use the aircraft's abnormal or emergency procedure, not its normal checklist, when a failure occurs. Complete any published immediate or memory actions first, maintain control of the aircraft, and then consult the appropriate reference when workload permits.
A Quick Reference Handbook separates failure-specific actions from ordinary flight-phase checks; our guide to using a QRH for abnormal and emergency procedures explains that distinction. Simulator practice is ideal for learning the sequence, but real-aircraft training must use the approved operator or flight-school checklist under an instructor's guidance.