Postflight Procedures
Shutdown and securing
Postflight procedures begin at the gate or ramp: parking brake, checklists, engine shutdown with appropriate cool-down, and securing of systems, fuel selectors, and electrical equipment per the AFM. Flight controls may be secured, chocks and tie-downs set, and pitot covers and plugs installed. Questions often check that you know the aircraft is not 'secured' until the master/electrical and fuel are addressed and the aircraft is physically restrained.
Discrepancies and maintenance write-ups
The single most testable postflight habit is the discrepancy write-up. Any malfunction, even one that 'went away,' belongs in the maintenance log. A Minimum Equipment List allows dispatch with specific inoperative equipment only if the item is listed, the conditions and placards are complied with, and the maintenance and operational procedures are followed. An MEL is not permission to fly with anything broken; it is a structured, approved limitation.
Records
Know what must be recorded: inspections, maintenance, and preventive maintenance entries; airworthiness directive compliance; and the aircraft's total time. The pilot's logbook must reflect time, conditions, and approaches necessary to maintain recency and currency.
Debrief
A short debrief - what went well, what was missed, any hazard reported to the operator (ASAP/ASRS) - closes the loop and is a professional marker.
Worked example: After landing you notice the left fuel gauge reads 20 gallons lower than the right despite a supposedly balanced burn. That is a discrepancy, not a rounding error - write it up, and consider whether the MEL permits dispatch before the next leg.
Rule of thumb: if it happened on the flight, it goes in the book - when in doubt, write it up.