FLT INSTRUCTOR IN C172 GIVES STUDENT A REAL FORCED LNDG BY TURNING OFF THE ENG AND ALLOWING THE PROP TO STOP ON DOWNWIND LEG OF AN UNCTLED ARPT. THE PURPOSE WAS TO HELP GIVE THE STUDENT CONFIDENCE THAT THE ACFT CAN BE LANDED SAFELY IF THE ENG FAILED.

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THE SIMULATED EMER LNDG WAS MADE WITH THE ACFT PWRPLANT SHUT DOWN AND THE PROP STOPPED. THE MOTIVATION FOR THIS EMER PRACTICE WAS TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE STUDENT PLT THAT THE ACFT CAN GLIDE TO EARTH SAFELY WITH THE ENG FAILED. THE SIMULATION REQUIRED AN ARPT WITH NO TFC. ON THIS DAY AT SAINT CHARLES COUNTY ARPT; SEVERE TSTMS HAD MOVED THROUGH THE AREA; CAUSING MOST OF THE FLYING ACTIVITY TO CEASE. AT 1600 FT; THE WX AT THE ARPT CHANGED TO GOOD VMC. THE TRAINING SESSION WAS FOCUSED UPON TFC PATTERN OPS WITH MULTIPLE TKOFS AND LNDGS. THE AREA AROUND THE ARPT WAS CLR OF TFC AND THERE WERE NO ACFT OPERATING ON THE SURFACE. THE SIMULATED LNDG WAS EXECUTED AS PLANNED AND THE OUTCOME WAS AS PLANNED. THAT IS; THE STUDENT IS MORE CONFIDENT THAT THE ACFT CAN BE SAFELY MANEUVERED TO A SAFE LNDG WHEN THE ENG IS NOT OPERATIONAL. DURING THE APCH TO LAND; A 180 DEG TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO FINAL WAS REQUIRED. DURING THIS TURN; THE AREA BEHIND COULD NOT BE VIEWED; WHICH COULD INTRODUCE A PROB WITH THIS OP. IF ANOTHER ACFT ARRIVED TO LAND ON THE OPPOSITE END OF PLANNED RWY THERE WOULD BE NO OPPORTUNITY TO GO AROUND WITH THE ENG OFF. IN THIS CASE; NO OTHER ACFT PRESENTED A DANGER; BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT AN ACFT COULD ARRIVE OUT OF VIEW AND UNANNOUNCED. THE BENEFIT OF THIS TYPE OF OP WOULD BE ELIMINATED IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE STUDENT WAS BRIEFED ON THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE OP; AT A SELECT LOCATION AND ALT WITH NO OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE STUDENT PLT WOULD ATTEMPT THIS OP INDEPENDENTLY TO EMULATE THE ACTIONS OF THE FLT INSTRUCTOR. IT IS IMPORTANT TO STRESS THE PURPOSE OF THE EXERCISE TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN. IN CONCLUSION; ALTHOUGH THERE IS A BENEFIT TO THIS OP; THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT DURING OR PERPETUATED BY; IS REASON ENOUGH TO ONLY SIMULATE THE EMER LNDG WITH THE ENG AT IDLE PWR SETTING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAS REEVALUATED THE BENEFITS VERSUS THE RISK IN CONDUCTING ENG AND PROP STOPPED SIMULATED FORCED LNDGS MAINLY DUE TO THE UNEXPECTED TFC AT AN UNCTLED ARPT ENVIRONMENT THAT COULD NOT BE AVOIDED IF NEEDED. RPTR IS AWARE THAT THE INSTRUCTOR IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUCCESSFUL AND SAFE OUTCOME OF PLT TRAINING.