Slip Survey

Though perhaps unintended, the results of Tom Turner’s survey of 100 CFIs concerning slips in the December 2011 issue (“Slips...Who Needs 'Em?”) further reinforce my experience that instructors—and by extension, the pilots they train—generally lack a solid understanding of slip dynamics. For example, the listed advantages of slipping focused mostly on stock answers: losing altitude, canceling crosswind drift. One respondent commented about fire. But what about the utility of slips and slipping turns for split flaps, jammed ailerons or a jammed rudder? Or asymmetric thrust events in twins?

Key Takeaways:

• Many flight instructors and pilots demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of aircraft slip dynamics, including their diverse utility and the actual risks of stalling while slipping.
• There are persistent misconceptions that stalls and spins are tied to airspeed rather than angle of attack, and that stalling in a slip automatically results in a spin.
• An ongoing debate exists regarding the most effective training methods for accident prevention, with discussions centering on whether basic piloting skills or scenario-based training for risk management and judgment are more critical.

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