Traditionally the UK used to teach “vital actions” which were learned, but the US used checklists (talking simple light aircraft only). I have flown with a number of people who religiously followed a 20 + list of down wind checks in a busy circuit and hardly looked out at all. That might be ok for a big complex aircraft in CAS, but at an A/G airfield it is B***** dangerous. There is no checklist for my aircraft and I have no intention of creating one. I do regularly practice emergency drills etc and debrief on the ground afterwards, but most SEP’s are very simple machines and a simple left to right check is very easy.
Rod1
(I tend to mostly fly my own aircraft which I built so have a good understanding of)