Hi Flanker - just as soon as I can get a job that suits! On the other hand there might be more money in aviation journalism soon!
In a previous life with another company (dare I say it - in the training department!) we decided, after much debate, to specify that 200 ft would be a minimum height for emergency drills etc., so long as aircraft control was not a factor.
Perhaps we should also bear in mind that the type of failure is relevant. If it's just (sic) a fire, the engine may well be developing full thrust in which case there is the asymmetric control problem to deal with as opposed to a severe failure where (perhaps) the engine is producing no thrust at all.
Maybe we all agree that it's all just a question of priorities (Rule 1 "Fly the A/c") but as I stated before I do not think many pilots will delay too long when they get a real fire warning!
I suggest that in many instances just, initially, retarding the thrust lever will go a long way towards redusing the seriousness of an engine fire - the rest of the drills can be completed later on.
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