Habit. Very interesting question Bob.
I remember the late Roger Green, one of the best aviation psychologists that ever worked for the IAM, saying “excuse me while I extract my biro from my pencil sharpener”. Basically as I grew up I was not a big fan of fixed checks but I liked to think instead (talking single seat stuff here remember not large aircraft multi crew).
As a result I once overheard a Boscombe tp talking about me and my views on Harrier takeoff checks and he said “Farley? He just screams TAFFIOH and opens the throttle”
(Trims Airbrake Fuel Flaps Instruments Oxygen Hood harness hydraulics – the RAF ‘standard’ idea for TO checks in the early 60s. FRCs had not been invented then. But aeroplanes like Meteors and Hunters were much simpler when it came to systems)
So no Bob, I don’t have such a problem as you mention but I would like to make some (slightly) off topic comments about checks. In my day (50 years ago remember) there were things called Takeoff Vital Actions. In my view they were nothing of the sort because some of the many checks were not actually vital, and I do mean vital, for the success of the takeoff (oxygen for example).
However by the time the Harrier happened systems and associated emergency actions were much more complicated so the central warning system (CWS) panel concept resulted and what a wonderful help that was.
In the case of the early Harriers if there were no lights lit on the CWS panel and HUD support brackets the aircraft was serviceable, including enough fuel for the takeoff. While having the wrong trim or flaps set was not clever it should not cause you to crash on takeoff. However sorting out in your head just what you were going to do with the throttle and nozzle lever that was vital – really vital. So in my view the Harrier vital actions before takeoff were a case of no lights on and think about what you are going to do with your left hand - and that is what I used to tell people.
Landing was just about the wheels. Nothing else was vital.
However I do accept that my comments are not appropriate for you in your 115 today.
Of course FRCs are not without their gotchas. In my time Dunsfold pilots had to do their IRTs at Boscombe in Hunter two seaters. One day my IRE said “Sorry – we have aircraft XYZ which has hybrid instrument displays – part Hunter part OR946 - so I will deal with its specially modified FRC, start it up, taxi and get it ready to line up and your trip starts then”. Nice guy. At the holding point he went backwards and forwards though this FRC with stickers all over it and eventually declared we were ready to go. I pointed up at the open canopy and he blew his top and went into a great rant about the FRC, stuffing it into his pocket and saying “From now on we will conduct this flight based on experience”.