thats a good question... My person opinion is, if its in question dont try it... Im not gonna risk losing my certificate and career as a commercial pilot just to give a student some good practical training... Now thats not to say that I dont think its good training..

Think about this though (not to sound paranoid), what if the owner of that property was out in his field when you were doing this approach and got your tail number and reported you to the FAA/FSDO... now not only are you facing busting the 500ft rule, but you could get a violation for reckless/dangerous operation....

but as instructors we both know that real world scenerio training can be very valuable if needed in real life.... Big dilemma....

 

Well this was a nice derailment, but no matter, I got my answer. Thanks guys

 

why not just do your engine out scenario over a lightly used uncontrolled airport....

then you keep all the FAR's legal, adds a degree of safety and they can fly their emergency landing all the way to the ground. It's what i do with my students, in fact I don't solo them until they can demonstrate an aborted take off, what to do in an engine failure after take off and that they can fly an engine out landing all the way to the ground.

 

I know some other APC'ers did a checkride with the same DPE, but my private checkride engine out scenario was directly over a closed runway.. I was under the hood for a few minutes, he killed the engine as I pulled the hood up.. there was a runway right under us.. hidden by the nose.

Good thing I knew to look there :-D I wish the runway were hidden so close by the other times engines decided to not behave

 

Thats a good idea... only problem is that here, there arent too many "lightly used" fields... the only other problem I see is that lining yourself up with a runway is much different than lining up with a field that has rivets cut in it, and having to be situationally aware of trees and powerlines and houses.... This is one of those where you CANT really train 100 percent real.... oh well... Still good idea


And sorry for hijacking the thread.... at least the original question was answered....

 

Yeah sorry to hijack. You hit the nail on the head, there's nothing like thinking on your feet to make certain you can actually do it in a real situation... finding a field long level and clear enough to be suitable plus lined up with the prevailing wind direction, now that takes practice and it cannot be done over existing airstrips it's just too easy. An old airfield may be ok for students but when the engine goes I can promise it will not be over an airstrip. I feel it is worthwhile- as long as it is legal- to find fields on the go and do low level engine outs over them for practice. I do worry about the reckless charge though. If someone gets angry they could probably use that one even if its a remote pasture. I would still argue that every single-engine pilot should do an occasional down low engine out to an empty field, even if it means possible trouble with some farmer. It's that important. You have to be able to do one for real and all too often it comes by necessity.

 

My DPE did the same to me years ago. It was my first soft field landing.

 

I have some troubles finding a Aerobatics License in the JARs as well, does anyone know if there is such a thing in Europe? Someone told me, but I'm not sure anymore

 

go to www.iac.org... I am sure there will be a link on there since its an international club...