Good morning!
We all play Russian Roulette in terminal areas at many airports.
Why would "we all" do that? The majority of airports I fly to and have flown to offer enough chances for a forced landing (with a single, not with a triple seven of course!) under their approach and departure routes. And the ones that don't, I won't fly to in a single. (ex) Berlin Tempelhof comes to mind, where several fatal accidents with SEPs have occurred over the years following engine failures during approach or departure. In a twin or bizjet on the other hand, Tempelhof was one of the finest destinations in Europe!
Regarding the issue with examiners' preferences, they fly daily and have to do it in both FTO hardware...
And I would say, the same applies to instructors and all other (semi) professional aviators as well. And I would also say, that this applies to every self-flying businessman when he is not the sole occupant of his aircraft. Employees can't usually say "no" when their boss takes them on a business trip in his aircraft, but they have the right to be protected from being part of the russian roulette game of their "owner"!
The above stuff costs peanuts. To cover for a vac pump failure, you have...
In the year 2011, all you really need is the latest generation iPhone or iPad. For 400 currency units, it gives you sufficient attitude information (via solid state gyros), navigation (GPS based, with free VFR and IFR enrout charts and even with approach plates if you pay for them) and communication (from the altitude at which singles mostly operate, you can call almost every air traffic controller by phone, just make sure that you have the relevant numbers stored in your phone). And the battery lasts longer than the fuel in your tank.