TO Get back to Joey's question, we have 2 layers of checklists (well, actually 3, but we'll group 2 of them into one). There are memory items and QRH procedures.
Memory items are just what it sounds like. Things that must be performed from memory without having to pull out the book to look it up. Time permitting, once the memory items have been completed and things are generally under control, you then pull out the QRH to run the full procedure which will have you go over what you just did, then a little more non-essential items.
Some memory items would be: Rejected Takeoff, Double Engine failure, Reverser deployed in flight, Loss of all AC power, loss of braking on landing, evacuation, emergency descent, smoke/fire in the cabin, etc.
QRH procedures are broken down into 2 categories, but both are read from the checklist as you do them. Any type of caution or warning message, system failure/abnormality, flight control problem, etc, has a QRH procedure. (Just to give you a frame of mind for the book, it is over 300 pages)
"Ditching/forced landing" does not have any memory items on my airplane (it used to until they revamped the way we do our QRH procedures). There are 2 reasons to this: It happens so very rarely; and there really isn't a whole lot you can do about it. The memory items had us turn off the air-conditioning system, depressurize the aircraft, then close the outflow valves.
The actual QRH for ditching breaks down into planned and unplanned ditching (basically the 2 versions of the checklist depend on how much time you have). The unplanned ditching has us shut down/secure the engines and APU, put the plane in the water, blow the fire bottles, and exit the airplane. The planned ditching goes into a lot more detail about briefing ATC and passengers, securing all loose items, put on vests, disable warning systems, putting flaps down, shutting down some systems, manually depressurizing the aircraft, etc etc etc.
The way our QRH is broken down has immediate action items, then full procedures. Immediate action items are the quick and dirty checklist, then we go into the full QRH and do even more. This prevents us from having to memorize every emergency procedure. The actual physical book construction allows us to pull the book out and open to the correct page within just 3-5 seconds.
Am I rambling?
