You are looking at two different approach styles! One a powered approach two a glide approach.
The glide tends to be high with an almost closed throttle and appears to be flavor of the day with some instructors probably because it protects a novice pilot from getting slow and in a high AOA situation which a powered approach can do if your not on the button with power and speed management.
There are numerous benefits to the powered approach if flown correctly there are numerous negatives to a glide approach and not many benefits so I see the glide as a trainee pilot approach which you need to dump when you gain more experience.
Pace
Last edited by Pace; 29th Apr 2013 at 18:22.