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I'm with Herb but think there is also a lot of customizing that can be done as a benefit. We have a Checkmate Checklist for a Hawk XP which was nice but due to differences in options etc. we've blacked out items that aren't pertinent. When we got our Skymaster, I basically copied the format of the Checkmate Checklist and went through the POH and entered everything in and then with time, moved items around to fit a check flow since over the 45 years our plane has been around, some switches have moved and there is not anything from the original stack that remains. Another plus is that as we get to know our planes a little more intimately, we are aware of some items that may require 2 or 3 checks (i.e. before engine is running, at idle and run-up.) I've also added IFR flight checks and other helps that instructors have shown me that are not on any checklist out there. That and there were so many changes made, sometimes in the same year, that I'm not sure how much I'd trust a generic checklist. For example, both Herb's and my Skymasters are '68 C models but with the turbocharged model, if I remember correctly, the fuel system is even plumbed differently, which they went ahead and changed the next year with the D model.
I also like that I had to spend some time studying the checklist out and understood a lot more of the whys and hows since I'm guessing many of us don't thoroughly read through the disclaimers that are tagged to a number of items while we are in the air or on the ramp with 4 or 5 people we're hoping to impress.
The main thing is make sure everything is there that needs to be there and having the familiarity of creating the checklist makes it quicker and easier to go through each phase and be sure you've actually done it all.
Have a great fly everyone.
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