ATR42 CHK AIRMEN INSTRUCTORS HAD NOT HAD NEW HIRE APPLICANTS ACTUALLY OPEN THE COCKPIT EMER ESCAPE HATCH THEMSELVES DURING TRAINING. AN FAA INSPECTOR ASKED THEM ABOUT IT AND THEY THEN DEMONSTRATED THE PROC TO THE NEW HIRE; ONCE AGAIN; NOT REQUIRING HIM TO OPEN IT HIMSELF. THEY WERE CITED BY THE FAA WHO INDICATED THAT ALL STUDENTS SHOULD ACTUALLY OPEN THE HATCH.

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MYSELF AND MR XX ANOTHER CHK AIRMAN/INSTRUCTOR AT ACR WERE BEING CERTIFIED BY THE FAA (MR FAA) TO GIVE PROFICIENCY CHKRIDES IN THE ACFT (ATR42). UPON ENTERING THE ACFT; MR FAA HAD QUESTIONED ONE OF THE APPLICANTS ON OP OF THE EMER ESCAPE HATCH IN THE COCKPIT. THE APPLICANT THEN TOLD HIM HOW TO OPEN AND WAS ASKED IF HE HAD EVER ACTUALLY OPENED IT. THE APPLICANT'S RESPONSE WAS 'NO;' WHICH MR FAA HAD THEN SAID THAT WE HAD INCORRECTLY SIGNED OFF THE APPLICANT'S EMER DRILLS AS BEING COMPLETED; WHEN IN FACT; THEY WERE NOT; SINCE HE DID NOT HAVE HIS HANDS ON THE EMER EXIT. PRECISELY AT THAT TIME; ME AND MR XX HAD RETRAINED (IN FRONT OF MR FAA) AND HAD THE APPLICANT ACTUALLY OPEN THE EXIT AND MR FAA WAS SATISFIED. HOWEVER; HE DID QUESTION WHY WE (THE INSTRUCTORS) HAD JUST DEMONSTRATED THE OPENING OF THE EMER ESCAPE HATCH AND HAD NOT ACTUALLY HAD THE STUDENTS OPEN IT. WE EXPLAINED THAT WE WERE DOING EXACTLY AS WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DO BY OUR COMPANY; PRECEDING THIS INCIDENT. ME AND MR XX RECEIVED A LOI FROM THE FAA CONCERNING THIS MATTER WHICH IS ENCLOSED; ALSO ENCLOSED IS MY RESPONSE TO THE FAA. THIS METHOD OF INSTRUCTION WAS IN EFFECT AT ACR FOR AT LEAST 4 YRS AND WE HAD ONLY FOLLOWED OUR COMPANY'S INSTRUCTIONS.