Well, Mr Static, you can take the 1000 odd feet off for crosswind drift for a start. If you are flying a circuit correctly, on ANY leg of the circuit you offset drift (unless of course you really want to be drifted).
Look, I again state I have every respect for your experience and abilities. But I just hope to hell that you dont have that engine on your Arrow quit on you when you're over a town or highway on the way in to a field.
It may help here to state that the average light aircraft field in the UK tends to be a bit more cramped than those that one finds in the States, that unless you are using a decent, large field you are unlikely to have VASI/PAPIs, and nine times out of ten you are mixing it in the circuit with many different types travelling at many different speeds. If you did your approach at Barton on 27 I think you may not be very popular with the circuit traffic or the tower guys.
On top of that, the terrain around our airfields is not always as flat and predictable as you may get in the states, and there are all sorts of obstacles we have to contend with. Indeed, some fields (Popham being an example) wont even allow you to make a straight approach to one of their runways, due to obstructions.
Re: the 45 degree rule - I believe this is standard in terms of glider training (I did 700 launches way back at the start of my flying career), certainly in the UK. When I progressed to flying light aircraft, back in 70s, there was still a fair number of ex-military people who instructed. I learnt most of my skills from them and they've never let me down. I have suffered 4 engine failures (only one on finals I grant you) and always got back to earth without a scratch, thank God.
One of the reasons why you may not hear of engine stoppages on finals is that in many (hopefully most) cases, the pilot pulls off a landing on the field without further incident BECAUSE they made allowances for such a contingency. I would seriously advise you to get overhead your local field and switch off (YES switch off) your engine when in the landing configuration. Check out just how she performs flaps down and dragging that static prop through the air. Yes, slow it up so the prop stops - because it might just do that if the engine is seizing or you are slow on speed.
Handy Hint - Just make sure when you do it that you do not attempt to fly a 3 degree approach, please!
Examples I've seen/experienced.........
1. Myself in a VP1, over the hedge at 45kts, about 50 feet up. Carb ice. got down ok.
2. Tipsy Nipper, twice on finals at about 300 feet. Carb ice. Got down OK.
3. Jodel D112. A65. carb ice or fuel contamination. about 200 feet on finals. Got down OK.
4. Cessna 172. Approaching on PAPIs (my best mate flying). landed short in a field (no damage). Faulty readings on fuel guages. He learnt about flying from that (certainly learnt about Cessna fuel guages).
5. Cessna 172RG (I think - may have been a 206). Dragging it into Barton on a long approach. landed in the sewage farm. aircraft written off. pilot ok. Faulty readings on fuel gauges. He had enough money to go and buy something else.
6. Grob on the downwind on a reasonably windy day, just 2 weeks ago. Landed on the golf course because there was no way he could get back to the field. Subject to investigation so will not comment on the cause. Both occupants ok, in my opinion he did totally the right thing in choosing where to land. Plane banged its nosewheel and prop in a bunker.
Interesting, eh? The guys flying the airliner approach didnt make it. Everyone else did. I'll exclude the downwind incident from my judgement - I wasnt there, wasnt in the plane, but I wonder what his aspect of the airfield was at the point when the engine stopped. Bet it was shallower than 45 degrees.
Look, if it can happen, it will happen. It's always best to make sure that when it does happen you know what to do and are in the right place.
Another thing Static - go and beg a ride in a Cub or a Stearman or something and shoot an approach or two. Please! You'll enjoy it anyway.