The Recovery, Step By Step
Chapter 5 of the Airplane Flying Handbook gives a generic stall recovery template and says the manufacturer's procedure comes first where the two differ. The order matters more than the speed of your hands.
Step 1 of 4
Reduce The Angle Of Attack
Pitch the nose down until the wing is flying again, and trim if you need to. The handbook calls reducing the angle of attack the most important action, for an impending stall or a full one. In an airplane with an autopilot or a wing leveler, disconnecting it comes first.
Step 2 of 4
Level The Wings
Only once the nose is down, roll the wings level with coordinated aileron and rudder. Keep the ball centered while you do it, and resist the urge to pull.
Step 3 of 4
Add Power As Needed
Power stops the altitude loss and brings the speed back. It cannot break the stall on its own. The handbook describes a secondary stall as one that follows a recovery where the pilot did not lower the nose enough, or tried to fly out of the stall with power only. Speedbrakes or spoilers come in at this point on airplanes that have them.
Step 4 of 4
Return To The Desired Flight Path
Climb back to the altitude and heading you left, at a normal climb speed, without pulling hard enough to stall the wing a second time. Then clear the area again before the next one.
Spin Awareness: What The Private ACS Asks
Task VII-D in ACS-6C is called spin awareness, and the word matters. FAA Advisory Circular 61-67C describes spin awareness training as recognizing the situations that could lead to an inadvertent stall or spin, and avoiding them. You learn the setups, such as the skidding base-to-final turn and the uncoordinated power-on stall, and how the airplane warns you before it spins.
Spin training itself belongs to the flight instructor certificate. 14 CFR 61.183(i) says a CFI applicant needs a logbook endorsement for training in stall awareness, spin entry, spins and spin recovery, given in an airplane certificated for spins. We teach it in the utility-category Diamond DA20 on our CFI spin endorsement course. For upset and spin training outside the instructor track, see upset recovery training.
The handbook adds one rule for anyone who does spin: begin high enough to complete the recovery at or above 1,500 feet above the ground.
Not sure stalls are for you? Book a free consultation or call (818) 330-1318. We will talk through what a stall lesson involves and how it fits a private pilot plan, with nothing to pay.
Where You Practice Stalls Here
Stalls and slow flight are flown over the Simi Valley / Santa Susana practice area, in whichever of our trainers you fly. Each airplane's stall speeds and flap settings are in its own POH; ask for them on the ramp rather than trusting a web page. To fly the DA20 before you commit to training, book the two-hour DA20 lesson for $549.
The Diamond DA20-C1
N306EF and N308EF. A two-seat low wing with a stick, a bubble canopy, a 125 hp IO-240 and a Garmin 430, certificated in the utility category. It is the airplane we use for spin training, and the stick puts the stall recovery right in your hand. $229 an hour in a package, $329 retail. More on the DA20.
The Cessna 162 Skycatcher
Six on the line. A two-seat high wing with a 100 hp Continental O-200-D and Garmin G300 glass, and the only high wing of our three trainers, so the stall looks different out of the window. $179 an hour in a package, $269 retail. More on the Cessna 162.
The Piper Warrior
N3034Q and N6312C. Four seats, a low wing and IFR equipment, with the most power of the three at 160 hp. The same rates as the 162: $179 an hour in a package, $269 retail. More on the Warrior.
The Redbird MCX Simulator
A full-motion Redbird MCX, FAA-approved as an advanced aviation training device. Useful for drilling the recovery order and the instrument scan with an instructor beside you. $120 an hour in a package, $200 retail. More on the simulator.
Questions About Slow Flight And Stalls
What Is The Difference Between A Power-On And A Power-Off Stall?
The phase of flight each one rehearses. A power-off stall is set up like an approach to land, in the landing configuration with the power reduced. A power-on stall is set up like a departure, in the takeoff configuration at takeoff or climb power, from a straight climb or a climbing turn of 15 to 20 degrees of bank.
Do Private Pilots Have To Spin The Airplane?
No. AC 61-67C says spin training is required only for flight instructor applicants, airplane and glider, and that it must be done in an aircraft approved for spins. A private applicant flies the stalls and covers spin awareness.
How High Are Stalls Practiced?
The Airplane Flying Handbook recommends practicing stalls at an altitude that allows recovery no lower than 1,500 feet above ground level in a single-engine airplane, or higher if the POH recommends it. Slow flight has the same 1,500-foot floor in a single-engine airplane, and 3,000 feet in a multi-engine airplane. Your instructor briefs the altitude before you leave the ramp.
Why Is The DA20 Used For Spin Training?
It is certificated in the utility category, and it is the trainer we use for spins; 14 CFR 61.183(i) requires that training in an airplane certificated for spins. Our spin training and CFI spin endorsement course runs in the DA20: 3 hours in the airplane, 2 hours in the full-motion simulator and classroom instruction, for $2,000.
Can I Try Stalls In The Simulator First?
You can fly the Redbird MCX on its own. The 60-minute full-motion simulator experience is $189, and a two-hour beginner simulator lesson is $249. Use it to learn the recovery order and the instrument picture; the feel of a stall in the seat comes from the airplane.
Will The Stall Warning Go Off In Slow Flight?
It should not. The handbook defines slow flight by staying clear of it, and stall warning devices exist to alert you as the wing approaches its critical angle of attack. If the warning sounds, the angle of attack is too high: lower the nose a little and add power to hold altitude.
