• There is much to remember 
• Humans can be fallible
  
• Checklists are a great help

Caution:

• Make sure the tail dolly is removed before getting into the glider
  
• Checklists can help a pilot be aware of necessary items; they must not become a clockwork substitute for them

There is plenty of advice available to pilots, notably the manufacturer’s Flight Manual, but very few people can be sure of remembering it all. Checklists are an essential safety measure: a way of making sure that your glider is configured appropriately each stage of flight; a way of remembering to check that things are working properly and that you haven’t forgotten anything. It is best to go through them by calling every item and response aloud, even when flying alone. Checking thoroughly and confirming key points out loud helps ensure that you will not doubt yourself later.

For example, you don’t want to ask yourself Did I lower my landing gear? at a critical stage of the landing.

Each glider has its own Flight Manual with information specific to that type and any checklists that the manufacturer recommends. It should be studied before flying a new type for the first time.

Many pilots, however, are fortunate enough to fly a range of different gliders. For these, the BGA offers generic checklists that either cover, or at least help you remember the actions needed. It is useful to learn these checklists by heart. Different countries use different generic checklists. Usually someone will have come up with a useful mnemonic (remembering technique) to memorize the items.