30th October: Checklist Day

Checklist Day observed on 30th October is an opportunity to appreciate the value of using checklists to help avoid tragedy and disappointments and to take advantage of opportunities. Checklists are a great way to take care of things so that you’ll have peace of mind. They are a perfect place to add a note about something you don’t want to forget the next time you do something.

If you are living in the modern world, making use of a checklist is a powerful habit to embrace. So, Checklist Day is a great way to remind yourself how important these self-made reminders truly are. Interestingly enough, it is said that this day harkens back to some rather dark roots.

It appears that the first known (or well known) checklist was inspired by a tragic mishap. On October 30, 1935, a Model 299 prototype for the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress crashed during takeoff at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. The cause of the crash was identified as a gust lock that was still engaged.

After the mishap, a group of pilots looked for a way to prevent future ‘pilot error’ mishaps. They came up with checklists for takeoff, flight, before landing and after landing. Boeing delivered 12 of the aircraft to the Air Corps

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