What do you think about a flight instructor taping over a static port before a student's lesson to "simulate" a static system failure?
Legal?
Yes, given that the "problem" is known in advance and assuming the instructor remembers to remove the tape after the flight.Safe?
I think not.Common?
Definitely not.Good idea?
I would be hesitant to tape it as a check for preflight inspection quality, the sticky residue could lead to dirt and other contaminants making it a legit blockage.
Same effect can be met with a discussion of the pitot-static (and gyroscopic for that matter) instruments and then covering them up in flight.
91.205 requires airspeed and altimeter for even day VFR -- and blocking the static system kills both, making all flight illegal. End of story.Legal? I think that depends on both the required instruments for the operation being conducted as well as the aircraft's TCDS as well as (since it was knowingly done) not placarding things IAW 91.213.
I agree with the replies so far. Maybe it is something you could do to see if someone catches it on a preflight, but I don't think it should be left that way for the actual flight, for legal and safety reasons. This is probably one of those things you could argue to death - how "real" to make a "simulation." Wanted to see what others thought before putting my foot in my mouth... I'm trying to mentor a couple new instructors.
I was going to say its a really crappy idea then I read Bruce's post and If you do it that way or smiling bob's way I think it would be a good learning tool. But the CFI should never let the nose cross the hold short line with something like that.