Why would the back cylinders have to catch up? Aren't most engines designed to have a somewhat equal length of ducting for air and fuel to get to the cylinders?
Yes, though I could thread drift that topic too! Catch up in the torque sense, all the power goes out the front of the engine.
The pilot jams the throttle forward, and the engine speed about doubles in seconds. The prop governor has to catch up, the vacuum pump and alternator speeds are suddenly doubled, counterweights jump around to find a new balance position, and there is generally strain on everything, which is not necessary. And, were there to be paying passengers in the back, they would not be impressed!
From time to time during testing, I do have to jam a control - it's part of the test... I cringe doing it! I sat lined up in the diesel Beaver last week, and, as an element of directional control on takeoff test, just jammed the power lever up to full. I was delighted to notice that the FADEC disallowed that, and increased the engine power smoothly, at a reasonable rate!
I flew three [new to me] big singles in the last month. Two pilots commented that I flew very smoothly, and the third owner thanked me for treating his airplane gently. Owners will notice how you handle their expensive airplane. In most cases they've had to pay to fix something a pilot has broken before. You're doing yourself a favour as a new pilot, if you make gentle airplane handling a priority early in your training, so you don't have to learn that as a new skill later to get that flying job you want!
