Just read this on Pprune Aviation Safety Digest Library

[Centaurus]

Useful lesson for todays flying school instructors teaching ab-initio student pilots. Taken from the revised list of the Pprune sticky of Aviation Safety Digests library of yesteryear.

Dear Sir,
Reading 'T~aps for Young Players' (ASD 139),
Trap 1 reminded me of an incident that
occurred several years ago while still a student
pilot. My instructor also used the 'mixture control
to idle/cut off' technique for simulating
engine failure, as I had the habit of keeping my
hand firmly on the throttle to overcome his
annoying habit of constantly closing it.

After a session of solo circuits one afternoon, I
taxied to the apron, parked the aircraft and
commenced the shutdown checks. As I pulled
the mixture to idle/cut off, there was little
resistance and several inches of cable appeared
from the instrument panel. The engine stopped(Just) and I went in search of the Chief
Engineer.
Needless to say, after relating the incident to
my instructor, he never used the same technique
for simulating engine failures. Had the
incident occurred in the training area, it would
definitely have been a case of 'Taking over!'.
Yours sincerely,
Geoff Williams

Simulated is simulated, not 'for real'.

[Lead Balloon]

A typical knee jerk, intuitive response instead of a reasoned and informed response to an aircraft defect.

That the supposed “lesson” to be learned from the failure of a component of an aircraft system is to cease using that system’s full functionality is, frankly, bizarre, but so typifies much of the folklore that circulates through GA.

I’ll lay London to a brick that at least 9 out 10 students and their instructors wouldn’t know the answer to these questions:

1. On the aircraft you’re flying today, what happens if:

(a) the throttle cable breaks or disconnects from what it’s connected to?

(b) the mixture cable breaks or disconnects from what it’s connected to?

2. Is the answer the same, no matter what aircraft you’re flying?

I suppose the “lesson” should be a ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer: Try to use these controls as little as possible, so they don’t break. And whatever you do, don’t ever open the cowls before flight to closely inspect what’s under there, after studying and understanding the function and operation of each component. These things never fail and maintenance is always perfect.

[Centaurus]

A typical knee jerk, intuitive response instead of a reasoned and informed response to an aircraft defect.


You are right about folklore existing in general aviation. On the other hand to be fair, students and their instructors can only glean this information if they can find it from the appropriate aircraft maintenance manual. They could search around for a local LAME to obtain his opinion but how do they know he is correct or merely offering his opinion and can he quote an approved maintenance document. Or they could Google the question like this:
.https://www.google.com.au/search?source=hp&ei=5GFkW9P6GIn98QWR7aTgDg&q=1.+On+the+aircraft+you%E2%80%99re+flying+today%2C+what+hap pens+if%3A&oq=1.+On+the+aircraft+you%E2%80%99re+flying+today%2C+what+ha ppens+if%3A&gs_l=psy-ab.12...4389.4389.0.7908.1.1.0.0.0.0.296.296.2-1.1.0....0...1c..64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.ahAh1725mp0

It is all too easy to throw stones and there is no shortage of people more than happy to do that on Pprune, unfortunately.

[FAR CU]

"Sweet oil and a feather" again old son? (Think I can hear old "Pelvis" gnashing his teeth.)

[Lascaille]

On the other hand to be fair, students and their instructors can only glean this information if they can find it from the appropriate aircraft maintenance manual. They could search around for a local LAME to obtain his opinion but how do they know he is correct or merely offering his opinion

You can glean this information from opening the engine cowlings and following the throttle / mixture cables to the pulleys they're connected to.
​​​​​​
It surprises me a little that the mixture is not spring-loaded to full rich...