BUMMMFITCHH is one form of a mnemonic used by pilots to remember the sequence of actions required when an aeroplane is on approach to land. A shorter version for simple aircraft is BMFFH; many variations exist for different aircraft types. ^[1]

The checklist

Many of the steps in the pre-landing checklist are double-checks to eliminate the possibility of unexpected failure of the aircraft. Other steps convert the aircraft from a configuration that is optimised for economical flight to one that is safe for landing. Since landing is the most dangerous stage of a flight, it is important to be pre-warned if an engine failure may be likely to occur or to deal with any problem at this point.

The checklist of actions is given below in its most complete possible form.

O-B-U-M-M-M-P-F-F-I-T-C-H-H

• O - Open carburettor heater
• B - Brakes free
• U - Undercarriage down and locked
• M - Mixtures
• M - Magnetos
• M - Master switch
• P - Propeller Pitch
• F - Fuel
• F - Flaps
• I - Instruments
• T - Temperatures and Pressures
• C - Close carburettor heat
• H - Hatches or doors
• H - Harnesses

Aircraft type examples

The pre-landing checks for the Supermarine Spitfire V, or 'Drill of Vital Actions' as the check was officially known was "U,M,P and Flaps". ^[2]

UMPH: Avro Lancaster pre-landing checks. Undercarriage, Mixture, Pitch full fine, Hydraulic pressure. ^[3]

The check for the Piper PA-38 Tomahawk, a simple fixed undercarriage training and general aviation aircraft, is given as BUMFFPICHH, noting that the publisher warns pilots to consult the aircraft operating handbook for full procedures. ^[4]

See also

• GUMPS - alternative pre-landing checks
• List of aviation mnemonics

Notes

Bibliography