# American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB Decathlon — Paul_Yust_8KCAB_Decathlon_checklist

> **NOT FOR FLIGHT** — source fidelity: unreviewed | operational review: none | completeness: full

## PREFLIGHT

- [ ] Gust Lock — **REMOVE**
- [ ] If Empty Rear Seat — **FASTEN BELT**
- [ ] Fuel Gauges — **CHECK**
- [ ] ELT and Lights for Night — **CHECK**
- [ ] Tie Downs & Chocks — **REMOVED**
- [ ] Right Wing & Strut — **CHECK**
- [ ] Right Wheel & Brake (24 PSI) — **CHECK**
- [ ] Right Fuel Qty — **CHECK & SECURE**
- [ ] Gascolator (1st Flight) — **DRAIN**
- [ ] Oil Level — **6-8 QTS**
- [ ] Windshield — **CLEAN**
- [ ] Prop/Spinner/Filter/Light — **CHECK**
- [ ] Left Wing-same as right — **CHECK**
- [ ] Pitot Tube/Stall Warning — **CHECK**
- [ ] Static Port/Antennas — **CHECK**
- [ ] Aft Belly Sump (1st Flight) — **SAMPLE**
- [ ] Rudder & Elevator — **CHECK**
- [ ] Tail Wheel (40 PSI) — **CHECK**
- [ ] Tach. Time — **RECORD**

## ENGINE START

- [ ] Passenger Brief — **COMPLETE**
- [ ] Seats, Harness, Door — **SECURE**
- [ ] Fuel Shut-Off Valve — **ON**
- [ ] Brakes — **TEST & SET**
- [ ] Electrics/Avionics — **OFF**
- [ ] Beacon (Always On) — **ON**
- [ ] Alternate Air — **COLD**
- [ ] Throttle — **1/2” OPEN**
- [ ] Prop — **FULL FORWARD**
- [ ] Mixture — **IDLE CUT-OFF**
- [ ] Master — **ON**
- [ ] Prime (*details below) — **AS REQ**
- [ ] Prop Area — **CLEAR**
- [ ] Control Stick — **FULL AFT**
- [ ] Mags — **BOTH ON**
- [ ] Starter (15 sec limit) — **ENGAGE**
- [ ] Mixture (as engine starts) — **FULL RICH**
- [ ] Throttle — **1000 RPM**
- [ ] Oil pressure — **CHECK**
- [ ] Mixture (for taxi) — **LEAN**
- [ ] Avionics — **ON & SET**
- [ ] Brakes — **RELEASE**
> **NOTE:** * Cold Start Prime: Turn on fuel pump and push mixture to full rich. Hold
for 3 seconds then return mixture to idle cut-ff and turn off fuel pump.
> **NOTE:** * Hot Start Prime: Not usually required.
> **NOTE:** * Flooded Start: With throttle full open and mixture idle cut-off turn prop
10 revs then do half prime and try start again.

## RUN-UP

- [ ] Flight Controls — **FREE & CORRECT**
- [ ] Elevator Trim Position — **TAKEOFF**
- [ ] Flight Instruments — **SET**
- [ ] Fuel Shut-Off Valve — **ON**
- [ ] Mixture (<3000’) — **RICH**
- [ ] Throttle — **1800 RPM**
    - [ ] - Mags L/R (175/50) — **CHECK**
    - [ ] - Prop — **CYCLE TWICE**
    - [ ] - Alternate Air — **CYCLE**
    - [ ] - Engine Gauges — **GREEN**
    - [ ] - Throttle — **1000 RPM**

## TAKE-OFF

- [ ] Doors/Windows/Belts — **SECURE**
- [ ] Transponder/Strobes/Lights — **ON**
- [ ] Fuel Pump (optional) — **ON**
- [ ] Throttle/Prop/Mixture — **FULL FORWARD**
- [ ] Rotate — **56 RPM**
- [ ] Climb Speed — **80-90 MPH**
- [ ] Fuel Pump (at 1000’) — **OFF**
- [ ] Landing Light — **OFF**

## CRUISE

- [ ] Power — **23”/2400 OR AS REQ**
- [ ] Mixture — **LEAN BELOW 75% PWR**

## AEROBATICS

- [ ] Altitude — **FINISH ABOVE 3000’ AGL**
- [ ] Clear Area — **COMPLETE**
- [ ] Engine — **24” /2500 & GREEN**
- [ ] Mixture — **RICH**
**Entry Speed**
    - [ ] - Acrobatic VA — **130 MPH**
    - [ ] - Aileron or Barrel Roll — **120 MPH**
    - [ ] - Loop — **140 MPH**
    - [ ] - Immelmann — **145 MPH**
    - [ ] - Hammerhead — **145 MPH**
    - [ ] - Snap Roll — **90 MPH**

## LANDING

- [ ] Brakes — **CHECK FIRM**
- [ ] Parking Brake — **OFF**
- [ ] Fuel Pump (optional) — **ON**
- [ ] GUMPS Check — **COMPLETE**
- [ ] Final Approach — **70-80 MPH**

## SHUTDOWN

- [ ] S  Avionics/Electrics — **OFF**
- [ ] L  Mixture — **IDLE-CUTOFF**
- [ ] I   Mags — **OFF**
- [ ] M Master — **OFF**
- [ ] Tach Time — **RECORD**
- [ ] Gust Lock (Seat Belt) — **SECURE**
- [ ] Flight Plan — **CLOSED**

## ENGINE FAILURE AT TAKEOFF

- [ ] Throttle — **CLOSED**
- [ ] Land — **ASAP**

## EMERGENCY LANDING

- [ ] Best Glide Speed — **75 MPH**
- [ ] Landing field — **SELECTED**
- [ ] Seats & Belts — **READY**
- [ ] Door — **AJAR**
**Time permitting:**
    - [ ] - Engine (details below) — **AIR START**
    - [ ] - Radio (121.5) — **MAYDAY**
    - [ ] - Transponder — **7700**
    - [ ] - ELT — **ON**
**If No Luck Restarting Engine THEN**
    - [ ] - Mixture — **IDLE CUTOFF**
    - [ ] - Fuel Shut-Off Valve — **OFF**
    - [ ] - Master & Mags — **OFF**
- [ ] Final Approach — **75 MPH**
- [ ] Before Touchdown — **DO NOT STALL**

## DITCHING OVER WATER

- [ ] Cabin Side Door — **JETTISON**
- [ ] If High Swells — **LAND PARALLEL**
- [ ] Else — **LAND INTO WIND**
- [ ] Before Touchdown — **DO NOT STALL**

## EMERGENCY EXIT/BAIL OUT

- [ ] Throttle — **CLOSED**
- [ ] Door — **JETTISON**
- [ ] Dive — **OUT & SLIGHTLY AFT**
- [ ] Parachute — **OPEN WHEN CLEAR**

## ENGINE AIR START

- [ ] Airspeed — **80+ MPH**
- [ ] Mags — **BOTH ON**
- [ ] Throttle — **3/4 FORWARD**
- [ ] Mixture (<5000) — **FULL FORWARD**
- [ ] Prop — **FULL FORWARD**
- [ ] Fuel Shut-Off Valve — **CHECK ON**
- [ ] Alternate Air — **FULL HOT**
- [ ] Fuel Pump — **ON**
**If No Restart    THEN**
    - [ ] - Mixture — **IDLE THEN RICH**
**If Prop Stops Windmilling    THEN**
    - [ ] - Starter — **ENGAGE**

## V-SPEEDS (MPH @ Max Wt)

> **NOTE:** |VS 53   |VR 56   |VA 121  |
> **NOTE:** |VFINAL  |VX   64 |VNO 160?|
> **NOTE:** |75      |        |        |
> **NOTE:** |VGLIDE  |VY 76   |VNE 180 |
> **NOTE:** |75      |        |        |

## ENGINE FIRE – GROUND

- [ ] Starter — **CONTINUE CRANKING**
- [ ] Mixture — **IDLE CUTOFF**
- [ ] Throttle — **FULL OPEN**
**If Fire Persist  THEN**
    - [ ] - Fuel Shut-Off Valve — **OFF**
    - [ ] - Mags & Electrics — **OFF**
- [ ] Exit Plane — **ASAP**
- [ ] Fire Extinguisher — **AS REQ**

## ENGINE FIRE – IN FLIGHT

- [ ] Mixture — **IDLE CUTOFF**
- [ ] Fuel Shut-off Valve — **OFF**
- [ ] Mags & Electrics — **OFF**
- [ ] Cabin Heat — **OFF**
- [ ] Fire Extinguisher — **AS REQ**
- [ ] Land — **ASAP**

## ELECTRICAL FIRE

- [ ] Mags — **REMAIN ON**
- [ ] Master & All Other Electrics — **OFF**
- [ ] Cabin Vents/Window — **OPEN IF REQ**
- [ ] Fire Extinguisher — **AS REQ**
- [ ] Master (if power required) — **ON**
    - [ ] - Electric Switches — **1 AT TIME**
- [ ] Land — **ASAP**

## ALTERNATOR/ELECTIC FAILURE

- [ ] Master — **OFF, then ON**
**If Discharge Continues THEN**
    - [ ] - All Non-Essential Electric — **OFF**
    - [ ] - Fuses — **CHECK**
- [ ] Land — **ASAP**

## ABNORMAL OIL PRESS/TEMP

- [ ] Throttle — **REDUCE POWER**
- [ ] Land — **ASAP**

## ICING CONDITIONS

- [ ] Pitot Heat — **ON**
- [ ] Cabin Heat — **OFF**
- [ ] Direction and/or Altitude — **CHANGE**

## WEIGHT & BALANCE (LBS)

- [ ] Empty Weight — **1326**
- [ ] Normal Max Gross Weight — **1950**
    - [ ] - Half Fuel Payload (19.5 gals) — **504**
    - [ ] - Full Fuel Payload (39 gals) — **384**
- [ ] Acrobatic Max Gross Weight — **1800**
    - [ ] - Half Fuel Payload (19.5 gals) — **354**
    - [ ] - Full Fuel Payload (39 gals) — **234**

---

NOT FOR FLIGHT — source fidelity: unreviewed | operational review: none | completeness: full  
Source: American Champion Aircraft/8KCAB Decathlon/Paul_Yust_8KCAB_Decathlon_checklist.txt  
Rights: licensed  
Checklist hash: e2c320b9fbc99fec717e4206f81f30192d4a8f3aae367523b2a30421edd2b879  
Verify against the aircraft's own approved documentation before use.