What the wind and upflow is at the LZ +500 feet may or may not relate to what the air is doing at your LZ
the extra 500' above the LZ gives you a little more positive margin (if thats the correct way of saying it) on the power check because of the higher alt. The wind checks get done at the LZ lower down.
or, you could just do the whole check at a lower alt above the LZ...
All it tells me is if I can hover IGE
exactly...! If you know what power you will be using to hover IGE then compare that to what you have available at your 12000', and make the decision whether to land or not according to what you have, versus the confine and what kind of take off you'll have to do...
Besides, isn't that the point of the power check...? To see what you have available...
I find with this method, I don't have to worry about which type or machine I'm in (as it differs quite often and I don't know each particular machine intimately - no not type - each machine is different to the next) and I've got into the habit of doing the initial hover/speed comparison check when I get airborne and it works out quite well... In the "real world" thanks Gordy... or maybe I've just been damn lucky until now...
A lot of the techniques described, and many that I have been taught, have put the machine smack in the middle of the dead man's curve for the initial power check. Ok if you're in a twin, which is what most of those instructors were used to (being military men) but I'd prefer to stay out of it as long as possible in a single over dense jungle.