Flight instructors at busy schools spend a surprising amount of time undoing small habits students picked up from other instructors, other airplanes or a checklist that doesn’t quite match the airplane. The Warrior III, a later PA-28-161, is a familiar sight on training flight lines.
Standardizing on one checklist for the Warrior III means every student learns the same sequence, every instructor teaches from the same page and a student who changes instructors doesn’t have to relearn the flow. The checklist supplements the airplane’s POH, which governs, and should match each airplane’s year, engine and equipment.
Quick answer: The CheckMate Piper Warrior III PA-28-161 Checklist is a cockpit checklist for pilots who fly the Piper Warrior III (PA-28-161), the later Warrior found in many training fleets. 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 Warrior III
- 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.
- Standardize across instructors. Have instructors agree on how the checklist is used in each phase of a lesson, and teach it the same way so students hear one consistent method.
- 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 Warrior III 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: If school airplanes differ in equipment, note those differences for students in writing. The checklist is the same; the airplanes may not be.
More photos
Where to buy
CheckMate Piper Warrior III PA-28-161 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 Warrior III checklist the same as the Warrior II?
CheckMate lists them as separate products, even though both are PA-28-161s. Choose the one that matches your airplane and confirm it against the 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 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.
What is the temporary digital download?
CheckMate+ includes an instant low-resolution, black-and-white temporary digital download, so you have something to use while the printed checklist is on its way.
