No harm of course. But do you know if both magnetos are still working? So why not do a magneto check as well, before applying climb power? And what about your prop goevrnor? And while we are in checking and testing mood, we could do a radio check before changing altitude. And maybe see, if the “IDENT” button of the transponder still works. Testing the emergency gear extension before applying power might also be a good idea. And a stall warner test! During climb, one sometimes comes close to the stall, and what if the stall warner is not working …
I get your point, and see the humour in it too :-) But in SEP’s, carb icing is one of the most likely things to cause you easily avoidable issues and takes just a few seconds to do. Radio checks and IDENT button checks, wont cause your engine to fail. A magneto check surely would be noticeable by rough running engine / RPM reduction beforehand anyhow. For what it’s worth, I dont make a carb heat check as an absolute precursor to a climb from cruise to a few thousand feet in increased altitude, but if I was going from 4k to 12k, which in my plane is gonna be some 20 minutes or more, I would certainly wait those 10 seconds longer to do it whether it is needed or not. And I always do it before entering cloud.
Professional instructors teach according to a sound and aproved training syllabus
yeah right. ask 3 instructors, get about 5 opinions 
Professional instructors teach so that the student pilot meets published practical test standards prior to him recommending a check ride. How that’s done, in what order and by what method, is properly between the instructor and his customer.
How that’s done, in what order and by what method, is properly between the instructor and his customer.
Unfortunately we have EASA here and ATOs do most of the training for which a syllabus is required. If the alternative is an instructor teaching nonsense like applying carb heat before a climb, then I prefer the syllabus approach…
Did I read correctly that you pulled the mixture because you were unfamiliar on type? Probably far more worthy of discussion than a bit of carb heat activity.
PS. As a professional instructor, I do take a bit of offence at all instructors being tarred with the same brush.
I am an instructor myself, but the awful truth is that many instructors exaggerate with their “personal style” element they bring into flight training and often it turns out to be nonsense, like here. It is hugely distracting, particularly for PPL students.
Experienced pilots can indeed sometimes benefit from the different approaches, emphasis’ and nuances of different instructors.
The worst are actually those who fiercely insist on doing something exactly on particular way. The truth (which one discovers only after a lot of experience) is that there are often two good (and safe) ways of doing something and that there is no need to get worked up about certain things.
I hate SOP-drenched, FTO-style, by-the-book instruction, but that doesn’t mean instructors should add nonsensical or superfluous stuff.
I hate SOP-drenched, FTO-style, by-the-book instruction, but that doesn’t mean instructors should add nonsensical or superfluous stuff.
And how would you achieve one without the other?
By selection of good instructors. 
Not by overly creating manuals and filling out forms after each flight.
By selection of good instructors. Not by overly creating manuals and filling out forms after each flight.
Maybe the guy who teaches this “apply carb heat before climbing” stuff is a good instructor otherwise. Give him a good guideline (or at least tell him not to teach stuff that Mr. Piper and Mr. Cessna don’t write in theit manuals) and he will be an excellent instructor.
Indeed, the manuals are normally a good place to start.
