On Mar 12, 3:26 pm, Sam wrote:
On 12 Mar 2007 14:33:06 -0700, Robert M. Gary wrote:

[...]

In short, you are more likely (today) to damage something with a non-
stable final than an engine failure in the pattern. When I demo
landings now I set the plane up for landing at 500 feet and cross my
arms so they can see that everything is trimmed and set up for hands
off flight.

Interesting, and makes sense.
I spent many a buck mastering the glide approach as a separate
technique, ie pull the throttle somewhere abeam the numbers and don't
touch it again until you finish with the wings.
Do you still teach this? I mean it's very useful in the case of a
FLWOP don't you think?

Really the only time I pull the power in the pattern is before a non-
instrument checkride. I don't pull the power in the pattern in high
performance aircraft at all.
What I generally do is put the pilot under the hood and get him very
involved in some instrument procedures about 3,000 feet over an
airport (not the procedure airport). Then I pull the power and tell
him we just came out of the clouds. It usually takes a few moments to
realize that they are right over an airport.
About 75% of pilots are not able to land at an airport from 3,000 on
top of the field. Usually after 3 attempts they have it down. I
consider this more valuable than pulling the power in the pattern and
probably more real-life.

-Robert, CFII