When I was a kid my grandpa had a mechanical checklist in the float plane. I have often thought about how nice it would be to have so I don't have to play around with laminated pages when dealing with floats. I have searched and searched and can not find anything like it available for sale. After a lot of hunting I found some guy who did a DIY version that is pretty much exactly what I remember.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcCw5mA0tO4

Of course that was 6 years ago and that person doesn't respond to messages. I tried to reach out and get the 3d printable files with no luck. So I did the next best thing and designed my own. I have the design pretty much set, checklist more or less ready as well, need to get the aluminum plates etched but I have some options for that. But I have hit a road block. I don't really have a good way to mount it to the dash, I'm making two one for on floats and the other for wheels, so I want it easy to swap twice a year.




Only idea I have right now is to put a ball on the back so it would go on a RAM mount, that might not be as stable as I'm hoping to make it. Then I thought why not toss this here to see if anyone has any ideas.

How heavy is it? Could you just use 2 sided tape?

The 3d printed parts wont be heavy, and the aluminum isn't that big, so probably two sided tape would hold it, but I don't think there is a good flat spot for that.

Remember, anything mounted or installed must be done with paperwork, if it is a suction cup or double sided tape it is 'temporary' and is NOT installed, so no paperwork needed.

That's why I was thinking a RAM mount, clamp it to the V Brace, but I worry that will be too bouncy. The lip of the dash above the panel is the prefect spot but there isn't a flat enough surface there to tape it to I don't think.

Checklist should NOT be pageS

Should be a half sheet, thick laminated, keep it under your R leg, front is the normal checklist, back is your emergency items

When I get in rental or client planes and they have a multi page checklist, it’s normally my first “snag”

That thing is really cool in design, think NASA even mentioned those in their big checklist study they did, but for most applications it’s also kinda “but why”

Two be fair, the checklist I inherited with the plane is two laminated pages front and back with only the front page being needed 90% of the time, so I didn't mean it imply some stack of pages.

The why is because grandpa had it and for all practical purposes it doesn't exist anymore so I'm going to make it exist again god dammit.

How about vertically on the forward door post, just re-orient the print and read from top to bottom as you flip each tab.

rocker switch versions are out there too.

https://youtu.be/ivmNseU9Uqs?si=nYn-FCrvzZ10OUff

Found the old nasa checklist design paper









The study
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/199 ... 017830.pdf


This one is still on many new Boeings, just a little clicking dot you drag down to the next item, doubles as a notepad clip

(My fav mechanical checklist)



Apparently they make them for flight simmers (CH products)

This could be modded for lots of actually GA planes I’d wager….not the worst idea actually.. especially for $50






https://www.ebay.com/itm/283670066430?m ... %2FrWnA%3D

Oh man! I have wanted something like that for a while!… Would be happy to buy one if you wanted to go through the trouble of making extra.

Maybe mount picnic table tablecloth clips to the back so it would clip onto the the front of the glareshield?

Like these: https://a.co/d/hRu5Xp6

Realizing this isn't what you're asking for - but the box style mount could be a source of inspiration. My plane has a built in "buddy box" style checklist with rocker switches and indicator light from previous life in PNG. Works pretty well, here is a link to a newer version:

https://www.missionarybushpilot.com/bud ... BqHi2cwTxv

Having it mounted up high would probably be better, if it was double-sided taped to the glareshield or similar that would probably work well. Could easily 3D print a 90 degree bracket of sorts to mount your checklist or build/print a small box to act as a backer.

I like that picnic table tablecloth clips idea, I'll have to take some measurements of the dash when I get the plane back form its annual, that might be a good option. I can see drilling a hole or two into that would make it easy to attach the checklist too.

I'm working on a digital checklist thing for my Supernote (an eInk device) to experiment with as an alternative to ipad/tablet. My goal is to only need the supernote when flying on wheels and going places where I need to write instructions, and then use the mechanical checklist on floats. I have a github repository I'm going to make public (and can share here) once I have everything done and working. It will have the 3d printable files and instructions for where I ordered the etched aluminum plates from (They aren't back yet but cost $35 including shipping). My goal is to make it pretty strait forward for someone to follow my path and create their own.

Can you just 3D print a curved backside to it, then use 2 sided tape and attach it right to the front on the glareshield? Be a perfect spot for it.

These must be on peoples minds these days. The first two minutes of this video has an example.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=azMD6exiE0I

Thanks for sharing, gave an idea since, you know, I never even thought of just color changing or embossing the checklist on a 3d print. Might not need the aluminum plate at all...

This was the setup in a flight school plane I flew in a few years ago. It worked well.

Got a decently working prototype, just need the plane back from its annual so I can see if it fits or if I need a different attachment mechanism. Its not perfect yet, but getting close. I'm optimistic the double sided tap will be enough to hold the clips on, and the clips will fit good.

Looking good!

Here is another idea to build on what you have made.

What if there were two tabs in each space? … have another set of tabs behind the go down checklist, that are emergency checklist.… They could have red titles for emergency situations, such as engine fire, loss of power, etc.(maybe even a tab or two on the right for non-pilots to follow during piloting incapacitation or something like that)… When you have an emergency, you simply flip up the appropriate tab and have that emergency checklist right there in red to follow

Some of these checklists are excessively long