I have to wonder about all this talking of side-slips to try and keep the flames away to one side.
If the airspeed is 70Kt and a moderate side-slip is made, what is the sideways vector in Kt and what is the resultant of both the forward and sideways vectors?
Most engines are placed in front of a fire-wall so do pilots really what to encourage the fire to one side of that barrier perhaps exposing part of the wing.
One "instructor"/"examminer" insists that when he simulates an engine fire, an immediate side-slip to get onto the ground as directly as possible regardless of landing area is made while the fuel is turned off. When flying with one of his former students, I wrote the type of fire on the back of a nav log and then simulated "smoke from the engine".....he immediately closed the throttle, started a mad side-slip simulated turning the fuel off and told me he was landing in a small potatoe field which would have damaged the aircraft (perhaps more if we had continued the sideslip into the ground) - time from 2000ft to surface was about 1min 30sec.
After we climbed back to a safe height, I revealed the back of the nav log which simply said - "Electrical fire - turn off the master".
I changed my mind about simulating a cabin fire for fear that the instructor had told the guy to jump out the door.
Never mind the possible damage to the aircraft. What if this pilot had unnecessarily force landed on a mountainside in winter. Shame for passengers to die from the cold when a nice warm engine is available to take them home!
Perhaps we need to remind instructors of what an engine fire is and what an uncontained engine fire is.
Regards,
DFC