It seems from the replies that there are two ways of doing things. First, is what we teach our students as part of Ex16. Second, is what we, as pilots, would do in the case of a dodgy engine.
What we teach the students has to be set as a standard. If they do get an engine failure we hope that the training they have will kick in. It will be a very stressful event to a low hour pilot (and a high hour one as well), but easily survivable. This is why we teach things in a set order and drum it into the student to, at all times, fly the aircraft.
The order I prefer is
1) fly the aircraft (best glide speed)
2) pick a field (shape, size, surface, slope, surrounding....)
3) restart checks
4) mayday
5) crash drills....
and I stress the only important items that must be completed are 1 and 2. i've seen too many pfl's go to ruin as the student stumbles through the mayday and promptly loses sight of the field.
The method that you describe HFD is preferable in my opinion to the square circuit method. This method will automatically compensate for the wind which takes another variable out of the equation. Good for students whose workload has just shot up 100%. However, I question the logic of turning into wind. Turning downwind will give you are greater groundspeed and hence present more fields as options. Once you reach the IAP or High Key, you turn as you described.
Second. We are talking about what we, as experienced pilots would do in the event of an engine failure. We have the capacity to swap the order of things a little bit. If we are chugging along at 90kts, we have a good 10 secs before glide speed and yes, we can knock a few levers or switchs in that time. Not had it personally, but know how easy it is to forget to change tanks. Especially on the PA28.......
Right, now my question. When I did the CPL, on the engine failure was told to put the prop to fully fine. At the time didn't think much about it, but surely that will increase the drag and hence increase the RoD? In a twin, engine failure = prop must be feathered. Anyone we has flown a twin near Vmca with an unfeathered prop will know why.....