Thank you for comments to date. Within Australia there appears to be no official guidance notes to flying schools on the why's and wherefores of mixture cuts to simulate engine failures on take-off, or for feathered landings. In short, you pays yer money and you takes yer chance. From experience, I would say that the majority of flying schools in Australia engaged in training on piston engine twins, use mixture cuts as the norm for simulating engine failure after take-off training. There is no record, however, of the close shaves that inevitably occur. Where accidents have occurred, unless there has been property damage or significant injuries, the air safety investigation is usually minimal - in fact safety investigators may not even attend. If it is a GA accident, shoulders are shrugged. If it is RPT - now that is different!
The CASA reply to concerns raised by an instructor about the dangers of mixture cuts immediately take off, contained some interesting observations, however.
Edited reply from CASA: "There are some risks with the procedures which you have identified. However, CASA must weigh these risks against the potential benefits of the training for overall flight safety. The risk may also be mitigated to an extent by the requirement that these procedures are carried out under strictly controlled training conditions by experienced and competent instructors.
Simulating engine failure with the mixture control. The Australian accident record does not appear to indicate that this procedure is a problem, despite it being a common practice for many years. However I am aware that the procedure is precluded by some other aviation authorities and we will investigate the reasons....with a view to to reviewing the situation in this country". End of edited quote.
In other words - Don't hold your breath, chum.
[This message has been edited by Hudson (edited 05 February 2001).]