I heartily concur with BPF’s advice!
I have about 1000hrs ME/IR/FIC instructing out of a total of about 3500.
My scariest moment was during night circuits on a Seneca I. Student had been doing really well and I was enjoying the sensations and different viewpoint afforded by the dark conditions. SOP was to reduce from full power to 25” 2500RPM at 200’agl. Student duly reduced to 25” and then mistook the mixtures for the props and pulled them back, whilst watching the RPM gauges. Not surprisingly, the gauges didn’t move at all, until there was a sudden silence! We were now passing about 400ft. I awoke from my reverie, took control and pushed everything forward.
A close second was when I simulated an EFATO at about 200ft and the student applied the wrong rudder, compensating with lots of aileron. I was confused as we were still flying “straight” but going downhill quite quickly.
As mentioned, the ME training aircraft might be the student’s first exposure to complex aircraft, especially now that the Arrow seems to be retired, and the FAA are allowing Commercial check rides on a C172.
Mentally rehearse which rudder should be applied before you simulate a failure.
Watch the students’ hands, (and feet?!) and encourage slow, deliberate selections.
Be especially careful with switch panels that are on the left sidewall. They may be out of your reach.
Give yourself some regular practice. EFATO control and drills can be demonstrated on most sorties. It’s easy to sit, watch and debrief a student but more difficult to demonstrate and patter the exercise! Your skills need refreshing regularly.
Another common misunderstanding concerns the basic difference between fuel systems.
In the Seneca, Duchess, Seminole, Diamond; the fuel selectors are labelled “LEFT ENG” and “RIGHT ENG”.
The possible selections with these “engine” controls are ON, OFF or X-FEED.
In the Aztec, Navajo; the fuel selectors are labelled “MAIN” and “AUX”, or “INBD” and “OUTBD”. There is a separate X-FEED selector. These fuel selectors are not “engine” controls but “tank” controls.
It might seem obvious to read the AFM and take note of the placards and labels but I have witnessed an experienced ME instructor giving dubious generic advice about fuel management.
Another possible confusion is whether or not your aircraft has unfeathering accumulators.
Janitrol Heaters and TKS anti-ice systems also require an understanding of what they can and cannot do. If the only reset button for the heater is under the nose cowling, you want to look after it during winter!
Last edited by eckhard; 16th Jul 2020 at 20:17.