Increasing power will (a) pitch up, then (b) create a rate of climb in the majority of aeroplanes.
If you want to increase speed, use the stick! Increasing power will decrease trimmed speed in the vast majority of aeroplanes (don't try it in a Thruster).
Back to discussion, what's everybody's "norm", I'd go with:
- Start of climb: PAT
- End of climb: APT
- Start of descent: PAT or APT (doesn't make a big difference)
- End of descent: PAT
Looking at that, APT at the top of descent or climb, and PAT at the bottom is probably a reasonable approach to teach?
Oh !!!!, I think I've just created a horrible training mnemonic there.
"APT the top, PAT her bottom" anybody?
G