With loss of control still the No. 1 cause of fatalities in commercial and general aviation, Aviation Performance Solutions (APS) in Mesa, Arizona, said last week that a college student, Chin-An Lin, had completed the company’s Upset Prevention and Recovery course. Chin-An, an international Aeronautical Science student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, received the training under APS’ 2016 scholarship program. He aspires to become an air ambulance pilot and incorporate both of his passions, flying and helping others. APS donates one Professional Pilot Upset Training Course, each year to a deserving pilot enrolled in a flight-training school or just beginning his or her professional aviation career.
The course provides comprehensive Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT), integrating academics with on-aircraft instruction to mitigate the risk of Loss of Control-Inflight (LOC-I). APS believes the formative years of initial pilot training are the ideal time for aviators to experience UPRT. The APS training complements licensing efforts by ensuring pilots leave the facility with a deep understanding of upset causes — with critical focus on prevention — and are trained to proficiency in the often counterintuitive skills necessary to recover from a developed airplane upset.
Chin-An said, “I feel I can now confidently recover from almost any stall or upset situation. But the most important takeaways are a deep awareness of LOC-I contributing factors, a perspective on how to manage startle and, most importantly, the skills to recognize and prevent an airplane upset before it develops. The very best upset recovery is to never get upset in the first place.”
Applications for the APS 2017 UPRT Scholarship are being accepted through April 1, 2017.
