Pilots who outgrow a fixed-gear Cherokee Six sometimes step into a Lance, the PA-32R-300, which puts retractable gear on a similar six-seat cabin. The cabin feels familiar; the workload in the pattern does not.
The transition is mostly about new habits: gear down at a consistent point, a gear check on final and a different rhythm to the approach. A checklist written for the Lance helps build those habits from the first flight. It supplements the airplane’s POH, which governs every procedure and limit, so confirm the checklist matches your Lance’s year and engine.
Quick answer: The CheckMate Piper Lance PA-32R-300 Checklist is a cockpit checklist for pilots who fly the Piper Lance (PA-32R-300), the six-seat retractable Piper. It comes as CheckMate, CheckMate+ or CheckMate Pro in Standard (6.5″ x 9″) or Compact (5″ x 7″) sizes. It’s meant to supplement the airplane’s POH/AFM, not replace it, so confirm it matches your exact model, year, engine and handbook before relying on it. It’s available on Skyfarer and at Skyfarer Shop.
CheckMate formats for the Lance
- CheckMate. The design that started it all, with the familiar legacy look, in Standard (6.5″ x 9″) or Compact (5″ x 7″).
- CheckMate+. An updated design aimed at better readability and safety, with passenger and crew briefing prompts, abort plan prompts and ATC communications prompts. It includes an instant low-resolution, black-and-white temporary digital download, so you have a copy to use right away. Standard (6.5″ x 9″) or Compact (5″ x 7″).
- CheckMate Pro. A personalized CheckMate+: add your tail number, name or phone number, your empty weight and useful load, and details for up to five airports you visit often. Typical production time is within 48 hours. Standard (6.5″ x 9″) or Compact (5″ x 7″).
How to put it to work
- Confirm the match first. Compare the model, year and engine on the listing with your airplane’s POH/AFM, data plate and records before you fly with it.
- Read it against the handbook once. Go through it page by page with the POH/AFM and any supplements open beside it. Where they differ, the POH/AFM and supplements govern.
- Pick one gear-down point and keep it. Decide where in the pattern you’ll run the before-landing check and lower the gear, and do it there on every approach, so a missed step stands out.
- Pick the size for your cockpit. Standard (6.5″ x 9″) gives more room on the page; Compact (5″ x 7″) is the smaller option when space on a kneeboard or in a side pocket is tight.
Good to know
A CheckMate Lance checklist supplements the aircraft’s POH/AFM; it doesn’t replace it. The handbook, its supplements and the placards in your airplane are the authority on every procedure, speed and limitation, and the checklist is the working copy you fly with.
Airplanes with the same name can differ by model year, engine and installed equipment, so confirm the checklist matches your airplane’s exact model, year, engine and handbook before you rely on it.
Pilot tip: When moving from fixed gear to retractable, fly your first several approaches with an instructor who will interrupt you on purpose. Learning to recover your flow after a distraction is the real skill.
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Where to buy
CheckMate Piper Lance PA-32R-300 Checklist is sold by Skyfarer Shop. Find it on the Skyfarer marketplace or order directly from Skyfarer Shop. Either link shows the current price, shipping options and return terms.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Lance checklist the same as the Cherokee Six?
No. CheckMate lists them separately. The Lance has retractable gear and its own procedures, so choose the Lance version and confirm it against your POH.
Does this checklist replace the POH/AFM?
No. It supplements the airplane’s POH/AFM. The handbook and its supplements govern every procedure, speed and limitation, so confirm the checklist against them before you rely on it.
What’s the difference between Standard and Compact?
Standard is 6.5″ x 9″ and Compact is 5″ x 7″. CheckMate, CheckMate+ and CheckMate Pro all come in both sizes.
What does CheckMate Pro add?
CheckMate Pro is a personalized CheckMate+. You can add your tail number, name or phone number, your empty weight and useful load, and details for up to five airports you visit often. Typical production time is within 48 hours.
