In todays flight training senario where a low timer can be a frozen ATP,
Students ask these questions and will fly the aircraft in fixed configurations every time failing to realise that you fly the aircraft to suit the current weather conditions and aircraft weight.
For example if I loose an engine on a fully loaded PA31 or PA34 on take off
it will only just climb so I will baby it up to the altitude where I can level off.
I am not going to introduce any drag until I am ready to descend and then I will firstly descent to get a speed of at least blueline plus 10 kts before the gear is lowered. If im being vectored to an ILS against a strong headwind I will hold the gear until 2dme then slow down.
What Im saying is, If you are going to continue flying MEPL past the IR flight test, be aware that you cannot fly by the numbers to the same plan in all conditions.