Nervous 1st-Time Airplane Buyer

[lnuss]

I don't see anything about pulling the throttle at take-off:

Under item 11 below, it was required where I taught. I was given to understand that it was a "best practice," and though the reg itself doesn't specify it, supposedly either an FAA letter or an Advisory Circular (I can't find one that applies, though) had been issued. This was in the mid-late '90s, when I was still teaching, and I may have been misinformed, though it was definitely part of the curriculum. Still, it's certainly true that it takes longer today, in general.

Best practice was, among other things, procedures that could get you in trouble if it weren't taught and logged.

However, if other (preferably current) CFIs out there know more specifics (pro or con), it'd be great to hear, since I'm out of touch with it these days.

On touch and goes, they were a requirement for me as a student.

Perhaps that was your CFI or school practice, and of course it wasn't your choice, but that of the CFI. But it's not an FAA requirement, though I think a student should know how to do them, primarily because sooner or later they'll do them on their own, so they should get it right. But, to me, they're somewhat of a hindrance in teaching pattern work, taking away time and attention from the student learning from what he has just done, and our discussion of it, because of the concentration needed when doing the T&G, and even in flying the pattern.
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14 CFR 61.87
...
(c) Pre-solo flight training. Prior to conducting a solo flight, a student pilot must have:

(1) Received and logged flight training for the maneuvers and procedures of this section that are appropriate to the make and model of aircraft to be flown; and
(2) Demonstrated satisfactory proficiency and safety, as judged by an authorized instructor, on the maneuvers and procedures required by this section in the make and model of aircraft or similar make and model of aircraft to be flown.
(d) Maneuvers and procedures for pre-solo flight training in a single-engine airplane. A student pilot who is receiving training for a single-engine airplane rating or privileges must receive and log flight training for the following maneuvers and procedures:
(1) Proper flight preparation procedures, including preflight planning and preparation, powerplant operation, and aircraft systems;
(2) Taxiing or surface operations, including runups;
(3) Takeoffs and landings, including normal and crosswind;
(4) Straight and level flight, and turns in both directions;
(5) Climbs and climbing turns;
(6) Airport traffic patterns, including entry and departure procedures;
(7) Collision avoidance, windshear avoidance, and wake turbulence avoidance;
(8) Descents, with and without turns, using high and low drag configurations;
(9) Flight at various airspeeds from cruise to slow flight;
(10) Stall entries from various flight attitudes and power combinations with recovery initiated at the first indication of a stall, and recovery from a full stall;
(11) Emergency procedures and equipment malfunctions;
(12) Ground reference maneuvers;
(13) Approaches to a landing area with simulated engine malfunctions;
(14) Slips to a landing; and
(15) Go-arounds.