Narrative:

On 12/xx/93, our airlines instituted new checklists for all aircraft which consist of widebody transport's, large transport's, and medium large transport's. The old '3-holer' large transport will be at a later date.) the reasons for this drastic re-writing of the checklists are: (1) to expedite taxi from the gate area by eliminating after start checklist (which is accomplished while stopped) and placing those items on a before takeoff checklist (which is accomplished while moving). (2) to 'standardize' all fleets in order to justify future training program reductions. The result has been a disruption of proven flow patterns and elimination of critical checklist items. This medium large transport crew had been cleared for a 'short pushback' from gate at lax, whereby the tail of the aircraft is closer to the baggage carts. We had been flying for 6 consecutive days and it was late at night, so we started to do the before takeoff checklist while stopped. (We had been doing this on every flight because of unfamiliarity with the new, disruptive, distorted checklist. We wanted to be able to devote our full attention to the taxiing of the aircraft.) the ramp controller twice 'ordered' us to 'commence your taxi' upon which I replied 'we are doing our checklist'. I have since been told that ramp controllers have been told that crews do not need to do their checklists anymore and can taxi from the gate without delay. This confirms my suspicion that this checklist change was primarily to get airplanes moving from the gate area expeditiously. Safety does not seem to have even been considered.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PUB DEFICIENCY RPTED BY ACR FO IN CHKLIST DESIGN AND SUBSEQUENT CHKLIST USE. AIRLINE MGMNT POLICY PROC.

Narrative: ON 12/XX/93, OUR AIRLINES INSTITUTED NEW CHKLISTS FOR ALL ACFT WHICH CONSIST OF WDB'S, LGT'S, AND MLG'S. THE OLD '3-HOLER' LGT WILL BE AT A LATER DATE.) THE REASONS FOR THIS DRASTIC RE-WRITING OF THE CHKLISTS ARE: (1) TO EXPEDITE TAXI FROM THE GATE AREA BY ELIMINATING AFTER START CHKLIST (WHICH IS ACCOMPLISHED WHILE STOPPED) AND PLACING THOSE ITEMS ON A BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST (WHICH IS ACCOMPLISHED WHILE MOVING). (2) TO 'STANDARDIZE' ALL FLEETS IN ORDER TO JUSTIFY FUTURE TRAINING PROGRAM REDUCTIONS. THE RESULT HAS BEEN A DISRUPTION OF PROVEN FLOW PATTERNS AND ELIMINATION OF CRITICAL CHKLIST ITEMS. THIS MLG CREW HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A 'SHORT PUSHBACK' FROM GATE AT LAX, WHEREBY THE TAIL OF THE ACFT IS CLOSER TO THE BAGGAGE CARTS. WE HAD BEEN FLYING FOR 6 CONSECUTIVE DAYS AND IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT, SO WE STARTED TO DO THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST WHILE STOPPED. (WE HAD BEEN DOING THIS ON EVERY FLT BECAUSE OF UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE NEW, DISRUPTIVE, DISTORTED CHKLIST. WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO DEVOTE OUR FULL ATTN TO THE TAXIING OF THE ACFT.) THE RAMP CTLR TWICE 'ORDERED' US TO 'COMMENCE YOUR TAXI' UPON WHICH I REPLIED 'WE ARE DOING OUR CHKLIST'. I HAVE SINCE BEEN TOLD THAT RAMP CTLRS HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT CREWS DO NOT NEED TO DO THEIR CHKLISTS ANYMORE AND CAN TAXI FROM THE GATE WITHOUT DELAY. THIS CONFIRMS MY SUSPICION THAT THIS CHKLIST CHANGE WAS PRIMARILY TO GET AIRPLANES MOVING FROM THE GATE AREA EXPEDITIOUSLY. SAFETY DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE EVEN BEEN CONSIDERED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.