Assuming that the instructor / check pilot is comfortable with the process why wouldn’t you do full on autorotation landings.
On the civilian side, while insurance maybe a factor in some situations, a distinction should probably be made between ‘training only’ and more ‘operational’ endeavors. Ab-initio training does have somewhat higher risks due to the experience levels of both the checker and the checkee. There is a significant difference in comfort level in doing this exercise between a, say, 600 hour instructor and a 10,000 company check pilot.
I haven’t flown a type in which I have not been ‘treated’
to “full-ons” (both day and night - if appropriate). It has gone “very quiet” in a Bell 47, Bell 206A and S-58. Incidentally, all over water!
The JetDanger episode is a good example why you should go to the surface. A JetRanger on floats and fairly heavy descends ‘quickly’ to say the least. Check ride a month earlier had been on floats but pretty light - half tank plus checker and checkee - with a 20kt wind.
Engine quit
while I was flying near the Labrador coast with two rock-doctors and a bunch of ‘samples’ on board so we were not ‘light’. I turned for the water and did the usual drills. On crossing the shore it all started to unravel as the water was almost flat calm, essentially glassy, fortunately I was paralleling the shore so had some horizon when I pulled pitch. I hit a little harder than I expected but I was pretty good - no additional damage.
When I retuned the radio - HF - and called the base, everyone when “Holy S***, it is for real.” As my voice was high pitched and a couple of decibel higher; my initial call had been disregarded as someone keying the mike while practicing and auto on his way home and without pax - allowed - with pax - not allowed.
I don’t attribute the voice in anyway to ‘super-coolness’
on my part but to absolute confidence in what was about to happen because I had done it all before.
A good landing is one that lets you fly again; a great landing is one that lets the aircraft fly again. If insurance is the arguement against doing full-ons; how many that should have been great landings ended up as something less because of lack of complete training?