Yeah, I'm personally undecided about them.
On the one hand, everyone says the improve safety and are beneficial, so I use them. Also as I'm doing the FAA thing now, I
have to use them in training - they're very very big on that.
On the other hand, it's seriously disruptive and even unsafe to use them many times. I mean, the US emergency list in the C172 goes on forever and they're adamant that you use it. This time would be better spent looking out the window and nailing your emergency landing, I'd say. But what do I know.
And the climb checklist is pretty silly. It gives you a speed and loads of other stuff that's pretty redundant (I don't have it in front of me, so can't quote). You normally know your Vx or Vy by heart.
A week ago I was back at Lydd and took the C152 up for a spin. For some reason my checklists had fallen out of my bag and I couldn't find them anywhere, but I flew anyway and lo and behold, I didn't crash or kill myself or anyone else. So checklist-less flight is possible
