OK
Some interesting answers and many of them very accurate and true within limits.
Just to add some more context to the discussion:
- the student holds a CPL
- The student is starting a NVFR
- The student has already done 15-20 hours night training at this other school
- in my opinion, 15 minutes of circling to get up to LSALT (at 3 points) is enough fuel to add it into the flight plan.
How about this one:
- Studes on a solo Nav (PPL and CPL) weren't allowed to actually land at any intermediate waypoint but were instructed to only overfly.
I have heard of Ultralight schools only allowing "accompanied solo" but I had never heard of a GA school doing this.
- Leaning the mixture on a cross-country flight is normal and is a normal part of engine management. It can make 20-30% difference to the fuel flow or more, not the 1-2 litres some people (above) have suggested.
- The climb fuel thing: Yeah block fuel for Day VFR, fair enough. But not for Night VFR.
- Sartimes and flight plans: What does the ATOM say about PPL flight test conduct? CPL flight test conduct?
...If you are turning a student out as a PPL (let alone a CPL) and they haven't got the skills to lodge a VFR flight notification...
The Green Goblin:
In the real world of aviation we try to keep things as simple and as easy as possible. (snip)... The engine is not going to fail because you didn't lean it. It might fail in time if you didn't lean it properly.
You're not going to run out of fuel because you didn't account for climb fuel on top of your cruise burn in a light aircraft. ...(snip)
All of that is true to some extent but if you are Night VFR and you don't count the 16 minutes of climb fuel AND you don't lean the mixture enroute, you will probably find yourself walking home (or more likely, never walking again).
KISS principle is wonderful but it shouldn't come at the expense of competent operation of the aircraft.
