Dudley,
Go back in history and you will find that thousands of military student pilots learned to fly their aeroplanes by simply remembering a few checks called Vital Actions. Mostly the before start and after start cockpit drills were done left to right until it became natural for any new type of aircraft they flew was also left to right. When the war started (Germany against the British in 1939) did their fighter pilots use checklists? I doubt it because every second counted. A bullet or more would be up your arse before you could say where's my checklist?
That is all in the past and there is no point in visiting that again. It has been my personal experience over the sixty years I have been flying that blind reliance on checklist use in ab-initio flying training has led to the same flawed thinking that results from blind reliance on automation. The result of the latter has seen crews fly into the ground upside down while still screaming for the autopilot to be engaged.
Well placed confidence in his own ability is one characteristic of a good pilot. To see, as I have, a student or private pilot quite unable to function without a written checklist to direct him what instrument to check next; what setting for the elevator trim; at what stage to put on the park brake; when to check his safety harness is locked; when to ask for ATC clearance - and without these reminders, to watch his eyes looking around and wondering what he should do next. I don't call that a safe and efficient way to fly an aeroplane.
One thing is for sure, however and this has nothing to do with airmanship. The total reliance on a checklist costs the student under instruction money out of his own pocket and money in his instructors pocket. And money into the flying school bank. Think about the time it takes to be reading long winded and often superfluous checklist items while the propeller is turning at dollars per minute. And all so unnecessary when with a modicum of commonsense, a left to right eye scan can cover all required cockpit drills.
Blind reliance on written checklists is a waste of time and money and erodes a student's self confidence. I am talking about those who are learning to fly for the first time. Can you just imagine how a first time student would feel if his instructor hopped in beside him in his Cessna 150 and said no flying today, Mr Bloggs - I have left my checklist at home. Imagine that happening 60 years ago when thousands of military students were learning to fly in Engand, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other Allied countries.
I was 21 years old and with 210 hours when I first strapped into a Mustang and flew it without a checklist. I am still alive to type this.
I fully understand that we are in complete disagreement on this issue. I have no problem with that nor will I attempt to change your mind.
All the best of luck to you, and I will disengage with you on the issue at this point.
Dudley Henriques