Definition
A written sequence of items the pilot verifies and configures before landing, typically including fuel selector position, mixture, propeller setting, landing gear, flaps, seatbelts, and final approach speed. The specific items and their order are defined by the aircraft manufacturer in the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) or Aircraft Flight Manual.
Plain English
The list of things you check and set in the cockpit to get the airplane ready to land safely.
Context Anchor
A pilot uses the landing checklist during the approach to land. In this chapter, it appears after dealing with a door that has opened in flight, as part of returning to a normal landing routine.
Why Pilots Care
Prevents configuration errors such as a gear-up landing by ensuring each item is deliberately confirmed.
Intuition Check
Do not read “landing checklist” as just a casual reminder list. In aviation, it means a specific procedure for that aircraft that the pilot is expected to complete at the proper time before landing.
Example Sentence 1
Turning onto the downwind leg, the pilot called for the landing checklist and confirmed gear down, flaps set, and mixture rich.
Example Sentence 2
Even after handling the door emergency, the pilot completed the landing checklist before touchdown.