You probably think it had a checklist
five inches thick.
Yeah, but how long is "Form 1A"?
Maybe we're substituting long checklists for systems knowledge.
Definitely. It was explained to me by a mentor, when I was doing some initial flying in the DC-3, that the surprisingly brief checklists for pilots, and maintenance instructions were common because the aircraft manufacturer knew that the operators of these aircraft were either the military, or airlines. They trained with great depth and consistency. With very well trained crews, the checklists were much less important. The light aircraft of the era were so simple, that you could make the checklist only a few items, and it was fine - because most pilots came from a military or airline background.
Then, more and more, pilots came up through the private training system. Their training took them to the point of meeting a
minimum standard, so the plane had to do a lot more for itself to inform the pilot how not to forget things like releasing brakes if you wanted to go. Hence the long checklist began. Then the FTU's needed to do something to fill their time on rainy days, and convince TC that they were proactive on safety, so they found lot's more things to insert into a checklist - and here we are....
The pilot who gave me type training on the Caravan told me to take my time, and use the checklist to start and pretakeoff, so I did not overtemp something expensive, and there after, in flight, checking the things passed by my right hand in a sweeping motion from over my head forward to by my ankle was all that was needed for flying the Caravan safely in VFR flight. Sometimes I used the checklist just to remind myself how simple that Caravan is to fly....
As for the 150, after 2800 hours flying mine, I used it for my commercial flight test. The instructor reminded me that I had better make ans use a checklist for it, to pass my flight test. I did, and used it twice - once for the pretest, once for the test.....
. 
I guess that would would be for those individuals that were puzzled when they added takeoff power, but the aircraft failed to move 
and then use the short checklist to make sure you have it covered. If you fly often minimum short 
