If you ever have to do it for real, then you need to keep your circuit low and slow or you'll likely lose sight of the airfield.
I was taught to fly the downwind at 600' with half flap at 70kt, going to full flap when abeam the threshold and descending at 65kt in a 30 degree banked 180 gliding turn to roll wings level shortly before touchdown.
During PPL training I drove to the airfield with my lights on under a 600' overcast expecting a nice chat in the coffee bar but no, my instructor said it was too good an opportunity to miss so off we went. Even flying a tight racetrack circuit, it was only just possible to make out the runway edge lighting on the downwind and if you gained 50' you were in the clouds. If you'd gone past the threshold, you'd have lost visual contact with the runway in the final turn.
I was extremely fortunate to have a 23,000 hr retired combat veteran for an instructor. The cross country circuit boys slurping coffee in the clubhouse would have had no chance.
Doing this in CAVOK just wouldn't have had the same training value.
I'd add that I'm certainly no advocate of scud running (flying VFR in IMC has killed too many pilots), but there have been a couple of occasions when I've been very glad of this training.
Last edited by Sillert,V.I.; 29th November 2016 at 22:17.