Hi,

And that is my point: a practice winch launch failure isn't like a
real one, because ultimately you know that you won't be allowed to do
anything really stupid.

That is true of every critical phase of flight while in training.

I firmly believe that my instructor is going to save himself. There are
situations where he can let mistakes evolve and the student face the
consequences before fixing the problem and times where he can't.

My instructors so far have let me try to fix my mistakes on my own wherever
safely possible. I have cried for help a few times at the start BEFORE they
did, though :-).

Trust in the instructor has no effect on the reality of the failure. If the
student takes right and prompt action he has proven he would have survived
at this occasion and hopefully will react the same the next time. If he
doesn't take the right action he can be sure there are many more such
exercises in his future before he has any chance to try it without someone
watching from the back seat.

Also there is not much to be learned from NOT taking the right action. I am
sure I could talk an instructor into simulating it at altitude but all I
could find out is that there is no safe alternative to the procedure we train
for. And possibly have some fun doing so, I admit.

Ciao, MM

PS.: I have read somewhere that flight instructors do not teach anyone how to
fly. They just keep students alive while they learn on their own. This
very accurately reflects my current experience.
--
Marian Aldenhövel, Rosenhain 23, 53123 Bonn. +49 228 624013.
http://www.marian-aldenhoevel.de
"What did you expect to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney
Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest
sweeping majestically across the prairie!" Basil Fawlty