I don't fly airliners, but based on what I know from my own flying, here's my take on the questions:
Reset Squawk Code (to 1200?): Very unlikely that even an airline crew would do this. Since they are always flying IFR, they would be given a squawk code prior to departure. As for the rest of us, when I fly VFR confirming 1200 on the tx is part of my pre-takeoff checklist, and I don't reset it after landing, even if it has changed.
Disengage from ILS/VOR Freqs (what is the 'reset' freq?)
I don't think there is a reset freq.; The desired setting is something you would usually confirm before venturing onto an airway or an ILS, and
certainly before slaving the AP to a VOR receiver! So having a "reset" freq would not really do much good.
Zero autopilot (do compass headings go to 360?)Looks to me like he only reset the alt hold/vertical speed values.
It makes sense, as regards the AP... if it's "zeroed out", if the next crew happens to have it engaged at the wrong time, for some reason, it will not be so much of a problem.
On the other hand, if it's "standard procedure" to start off with the AP cleared, that could promote complacency. And all it would take is for one crew to forget to reset it and the next crew to assume it's zeroed, then take off with it engaged and configured for a descent... that would be bad.
And anything else I've missed?Obviously, in an airliner, the checklist would be pretty extensive... lots of systems not critical to flight, etc. But the basics are: flaps, spoilers stowed and disarmed, ignition off, fuel shut off, lights off, avionics off, pitot heat/deice off, electrical busses off.
It's even less with a typical light single... when I clear the runway it's: flaps up, carb heat off, lights off except the beacon, transponder on STBY... then after parking it's mixture to cutoff, mags off, avionics buss off (leaving radios and beacon on, unless it's a fancy radio/GPS suite, in which case some things should be turned off first), master switch off. The beacon is usually left on so that it lights up as soon as the master is turned on. One might forget to switch on the beacon, but the plane won't start with the master off.
I am in the habit of putting the tx on STBY when on the ground because I'm used to flying with the older ones that have a vacuum tube; the less those things are working hard, the better. I've had a tx overheat on me and start smoking in flight; it's not fun.
But when you fly rentals, all that meticulous "cleanup" does not benefit you on the next flight in that plane... even if I flew for an airline, with strict policies regarding resetting things, I would never assume anything is set as it should be on start-up.
Even flying the Champ, which had one radio (which had just enough juice in its tiny battery to check the ATIS before startup and was powered in flight by a wind-driven generator between the mains), no transponder, no vacuum system/gyros, no pitot heat, no lights, no starter and no mixture control, there was still a written startup/ pre-takeoff checklist (albeit very brief, LOL). And I followed it, every flight.
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