Sequence, conditions and critical steps
- Order steps by dependency.
- Use conditional branches.
- Decide which steps are critical and need verification.
Order matters. Some steps depend on others — you can't verify the control link before the controller is powered. Group steps by where the crew physically is and what they're holding, so nobody walks back and forth.
Conditional steps appear only when they apply: 'If the site needs LAANC authorization, record the authorization number.' A decision step asks the question; later steps branch on the answer.
Critical steps are the ones where a miss can directly cause injury, damage or an illegal operation. Surgeon and author Atul Gawande calls them 'killer items'. They're the lines that get a second person to verify them and that stop the operation if they fail.
Order this preflight so no step depends on a later one.
- 1Power on the aircraft
- 2Brief the crew on the takeoff
- 3Verify the GPS satellite count
- 4Power on the controller
- 5Verify the control link
Which lines are flawed? Select every one.
Which step should be marked critical?