Turbo - j
belowradar - with some of your comments I am shocked that you reveal you are an instructor
1. So how do you teach EFATOs? Same as everybody else don't turn back unless you have no options straight ahead and you have gained sufficient height to return to the airport environment (where there are crash facilities)
2. At what point do you advocate turning back to the field?Not normally but if you know that there are no options ahead then turning back may be an option if you have gained a minimum height (depending on weather, aircraft and proficiency)
3. Does your FOB advocate you can turn back? I am CFI so I advise students to plan well in advance, assess all likely eventualities and plan for them, to not abandon any possibility of a good outcome (i.e. assess ALL possible options and pick the best one)
4. Does your FTO know you teach/advocate turning back to the field after an engine failure?YES I am the CFI
5. Do you teach the dangers of turning back to your students with statistical evidence of the likely outcome? YES of course
6. On your last instructor checkride did you explain to your FIC that is how you teach EFATOs and what was his/her reaction? On my last proficiency check my instructor encouraged me to fly a return to runway after engine failure and to determine what height I would need to achieve before turning back. I decided on 800 feet given the aircraft and wind and we had lots of height left so needed to slip (it was a powerful turbine single). Yes it focused my mind on the ground in the turn as well as maintaining safe speed and balance but it was do-able and in rare instances it might just save your neck.
I don't buy the practice of teaching a dumbed down version of actions to students / pilots - this only leads to "Do as I say - Not as I do"
Effective problem solving = Plan ahead - assess all possible solutions to a problem - implement the best solution - monitor and review actions as necessary
I have never advocated not landing straight ahead - I agree that it is normally the best thing to do but I never say NEVER turn back