"I can't fly it without a checklist, I think I've got an old one in the hangar."
Still happens. Few years back I was asked to take over the ab-initio training in a Cessna 152 of a chap who had about 10 hours dual on type. Really pleasant personality and very intelligent. His previous grade 3 instructor who had done all his flying instruction so far, insisted on checklist reading for everything. . Even for the walk around inspection. At the aircraft we strapped in and waited for him to start checks.
He fumbled in his pocket then got embarrassed and apologised and said he left his checklist in his car. Forget a checklist just run a scan, I said. Haven't been taught how to run a scan, he said. So I showed him. We flew and did circuits and he was OK. After we finished flying we taxied to the tarmac and I waited for him to shut down the engine. More apologies poor chap and I felt so sorry for him. He said he didn't know how to shut down the engine without a checklist to tell him what to do. And this was a Cessna 152.
