Whether you are a flight sim enthusiast or a real world pilot, building muscle memory is an important part of the pilot's apprenticeship. Getting your cockpit flow standardized is critical to achieve the best pilot reaction in critical in-flight situations and thinking ahead of the airplane should be the only way to operate safely any airplane.
Jason Miller, expert CFII covers this aspect in an exemplary way in one of his video. I've never been told a take-off briefing in real life as complete as Jason does it when he trains pilots.
1. Identify runway entrance
Visually identify the runway by looking at the numbers and confirm its direction
2. Verify wind
Visually check the windsock if any and crosscheck with the ATIS/AWOS/ASOS information
Identify mentally where the wind is coming from (for flight control corrections and in case of engine problem)
3. Abort point
Visually identify where is the abord point (i.e. half way of the runway)
Calculate what your 70% of rotation speed is --> By that point, if you have not reached 70% of rotation speed: ABORT
4. 1,000 ft AGL
What will you read on your altimeter if sets on QNH when you'll be at 1,000 ft AGL? Altitude at which you can run the climb checklist and evaluate the situation in case of an in-flight failure
5. Emergency procedures
Review your glide speed vs weight for your plane
Here below a typical example for a Cessna 172SP (Glide speed 65 kts):
Engine problem on rotation
If enough runway remaining: Throttle to idle; push forward and land on the runway
If no runway remaining: Throttle and Mixture full forward; Fuel pump ON; cycle the Mags; cycle the Fuel tanks --> if no recovery: Mixture idle cut OFF, pull the Fuel shut OFF valve; Mags OFF; unlatch the doors; keep Battery ON to use Flaps then
If you're at least 1,000 ft AGL turn towards the runway (if possible do not turn in the direction of the wind to keep energy)
If below 500 ft AGL, look for the best field within maximum 30° left or right of plane nose and land
My personnal experience is also to pay attention to the field/obstacles beyond the runway you will use upon your first take off so that the next time you'll be taking off from that runway, you'll know immediately in which direction you need to turn to. If not familiar with the area around the airport, looking at Google satellite photos could already give a good idea of the obstacles beyond the end of the runway.
Jason's video can be found here below and worth looking at it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvs9Jz7H-M0&index=18&list=PLWQXeO7rwZi-9jLjIUhLA2P4ya0AWQlQE&t=496s
TIPAH
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