Not every pilot flies one airplane. Renters, ferry pilots and instructors often move between fixed-gear singles from week to week, and a model-specific checklist for each one isn’t always on hand.
That’s the gap a universal fixed-gear checklist is meant to fill: per its title, a general checklist for fixed-gear airplanes rather than one for a single model. The product description doesn’t spell out what the universal edition contains, so treat it as a general aid and take every speed, limit and procedure from the specific airplane’s POH/AFM. Where a model-specific checklist exists for the airplane you fly, that’s the better choice.
Quick answer: The CheckMate Universal Fixed Gear Checklist is a cockpit checklist for pilots who fly a range of fixed-gear airplanes (it’s titled as universal rather than written for one model). It comes as CheckMate, CheckMate+ or CheckMate Pro in Standard (6.5″ x 9″) or Compact (5″ x 7″) sizes, plus a QuickMate card and The Aviation CheckBook flipbook. It’s meant to supplement each airplane’s POH/AFM, not replace it, so take every speed, limit and procedure from that airplane’s handbook. You can find it on Skyfarer and order it at Skyfarer Shop.
Which Universal Fixed Gear checklist format fits you
- 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″).
- QuickMate. A 5″ x 7″ plastic card with an abbreviated checklist for pilots who prefer minimalism, highlighting only the most critical information.
- The Aviation CheckBook. A shirt-pocket flipbook for Part 141 and Part 61 schools and pilots who want a multi-page checklist without the usual bulk.
Using it in the cockpit
- Do one side-by-side read. At home or in the hangar, read the checklist next to the POH/AFM and its supplements, and mark anything your airplane’s equipment changes. The handbook wins every disagreement.
- Pair it with the airplane’s POH every time. A universal checklist can’t know your airplane’s numbers or equipment. Before each flight in a different airplane, look up its speeds, limits and procedures in that airplane’s POH/AFM.
- Choose a size that stays put. Standard is 6.5″ x 9″ and Compact is 5″ x 7″. Pick the one that fits where you’ll keep it in flight, whether that’s a kneeboard, a door pocket or your lap.
Before you rely on it
This checklist is a supplement to the POH/AFM, not a replacement for it. Treat every speed, limit and procedure on the page as something to confirm against your airplane’s own handbook and supplements, which govern.
Because it isn’t written for one model, a universal checklist can’t reflect your airplane’s year, engine or equipment. Use it alongside the specific airplane’s handbook every time, and choose a model-specific checklist whenever one exists for the airplane you fly.
Pilot tip: When you fly an unfamiliar airplane, write down its key speeds from the POH on a card before the flight. A universal checklist plus airplane-specific numbers is far better than either alone.
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Where to buy
CheckMate Universal Fixed Gear 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
Should I use the universal checklist instead of a model-specific one?
Only when no model-specific checklist is available. A checklist written for your exact model, matched to its POH, is the better choice whenever one exists.
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 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.
How is CheckMate+ different from the original CheckMate?
CheckMate+ uses an updated design aimed at better readability and safety and adds passenger and crew briefing prompts, abort plan prompts and ATC communications prompts. The original CheckMate keeps the familiar legacy look.
