Stall Recovery: Ailerons Or Rudder?

At the last minute on final approach, you see an obstacle on the runway. You’ve initiated a go-around, but in your haste you let the nose rise too much, or even pull it up excessively for fear of hitting trees at the far end of the airport. The stall warning horn sounds but you don’t respond quickly enough, and the airplane begins to shudder—the “first aerodynamic indication” of a stall. One wing begins to drop. As you push forward to reduce the angle of attack and break the stall, do you coordinate rudder and aileron to level the wings or force yourself to hold the ailerons neutral and level the wings with rudder alone?

Key Takeaways:

• Ailerons operate by varying the angle of attack on each wing, a function that becomes dangerous near or in a stall as it can inadvertently induce a further stall or spin on one wing.
• During stall recovery, pilots should keep ailerons neutral and use rudder alone to level the wings, while simultaneously pushing forward to reduce the angle of attack.
• Improper use of flight controls, particularly ailerons and rudder, is a primary contributor to loss-of-control accidents in general aviation, underscoring the need for fundamental airmanship.

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