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List of pilot mnemonics and acronyms

Flying involves plenty of memorization and much of what a pilot needs to remember may only be used occasionally or just in an emergency situation. Thus, it is important to have an easy way to remember all of those steps or checklists.

Brian, the pilot of a Cessna 182 and the blogger behind Brian’s Flying Blog, has posted a comprehensive list of aviation mnemonics and acronyms that are well worth reading and memorizing by both student and experienced pilots. He has also divided his list into VFR and IFR mnemonics and some of his examples include:

TOMATOFLAMES (VFR equipment)
tach, oil press, manifold press, altimeter, temp, oil pressure, fuel gauge, landing gear position, air speed, magnetic compass, elt, seat belts

CIGAR (Run-up before takeoff)
controls, instruments, gas, attitude (trim and flaps), run-up

ALARMS (Emergency Engine Failure)
airspeed, landing site, air restart, radios, mayday, secure plane

TTTTT (IFR Holding Patterns)
turn, time, twist, throttle, talk

Brian has also included some useful links to pilot and flying mnemonics resources on the web along with the customized checklist he uses when he takes his Cessna 182 up for a spin.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patrick Flannigan says

    December 18, 2009 at 14:10

    You know, I always thought the chorus in Pink Floyd's Learning to Fly was from the TTTT acronym:

    "Turn Time and Twist, just an earthbound misfit, I"

    Turns out it's actually "Tongue-tied and twisted"

    Reply
  2. Pieter de Weerdt says

    December 18, 2009 at 16:30

    Wise instructor taught me about the FIELD acronym for final approach on forced landings:

    F – Fuel off

    I – Ignition off

    E – Electrics off (after flaps set)

    L – Lapstraps tight

    D – Doors open

    Reply
  3. Sylvia says

    December 18, 2009 at 17:20

    I'm going to start singing that song wrong, I like Pat's version better.

    That's an interesting list and very useful.

    Reply
  4. Rick Hamilton says

    May 16, 2011 at 13:07

    A good one for a missed approach.

    C C C C C

    CRAM – Power

    CLIMB – Pull up

    CLEAN – Gear and Flaps (when appropriate)

    COOL – Open the Cowl flaps

    COMMUNICATE – "Going missed"

    Reply
  5. Rick Hamilton says

    May 16, 2011 at 13:11

    A good all purpose check for Complex GA aircraft

    GUMPS CLIF

    G – Gas

    U – Undercarriage

    M -Mixture

    P – Power / Prop

    S- Seat belts

    C – Cowl flaps

    L – Lights

    I – (Engine) Instruments

    F- Flaps

    A great check on short final for all retract / complex

    MPUF

    M- Mixture Full forward

    P – Prop Full forward

    U – Undercarriage (3 Green)

    F- Flaps set for landing

    Reply

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Matthew Stibbe
Matthew Stibbe is CEO of Articulate Marketing and Turbine, the easy, online way to deal with office paperwork. He has an FAA CPL/IR and an EASA PPL/IR and sometimes flies a Cirrus SR-22. He also writes about wine at Vincarta and being a better manager at Geek Boss.
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