Stall Training? Seriously?

When I took my first flying lesson at age 18, I knew…nothing. I even thought a stall was killing the engine, like when I let the clutch out too fast in my car. But I learned, and after only a few hours I was performing aerodynamic stalls with aplomb, if not expertise. Years later, still a private pilot, a friend introduced me to a prolonged stall where you didnt recover and just keep the wings level with rudder. We called that the falling leaf after the swaying back and forth that occurred.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, July 30, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Airline pilot training (ATP) previously focused on stall avoidance and recovery at the *first indication* of an impending stall, rather than practicing actual full stall recovery.
This training deficiency contributed to real-world accidents where airline pilots failed to recognize or recover from full stalls.
The FAA has since implemented new requirements, mandating that airline pilots now train for and demonstrate actual stall recovery, a return to foundational pilot skills.

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When I took my first flying lesson at age 18, I knew…nothing. I even thought a stall was killing the engine, like when I let the clutch out too fast in my car. But I learned, and after only a few hours I was performing aerodynamic stalls with aplomb, if not expertise. Years later, still a private pilot, a friend introduced me to a prolonged stall where you didn’t recover and just keep the wings level with rudder. We called that the “falling leaf” after the swaying back and forth that occurred.