Why Do We Stall?

Fixed-wing pilots start learning stall recognition and avoidance during pre-solo training. The private and sport pilot checkrides require recovering from developed stalls with minimal loss of altitude, and stall and spin awareness are (or at least should be) refreshed during flight reviews for the duration of ones flying career. But unintended stalls still put dozens of airplanes into the ground every year. Is it possible that stall training as currently practiced isnt as effective as it might be?

David Jack Kenny

Monday, May 21, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Current stall training is often ineffective as it typically occurs at altitude and in controlled conditions, failing to prepare pilots for real-world, low-altitude, uncoordinated stall scenarios which account for a high number of fatal accidents, particularly in the traffic pattern.
Training standards vary, with private pilot applicants often required to demonstrate a full stall break, which contradicts the critical need for immediate recovery at the first indication of an impending stall in actual emergencies.
The article advocates for improved training emphasizing stall avoidance, early recognition of initial stall indications, and integrating more realistic, varied stall sequences and a dynamic understanding of Angle of Attack into primary instruction.

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Fixed-wing pilots start learning stall recognition and avoidance during pre-solo training. The private and sport pilot checkrides require recovering from developed stalls with minimal loss of altitude, and stall and spin awareness are (or at least should be) refreshed during flight reviews for the duration of one’s flying career. But unintended stalls still put dozens of airplanes into the ground every year. Is it possible that stall training as currently practiced isn’t as effective as it might be?

If so, there are reasons. Chief among them is that most of the situations that lead to accidents—close to the ground and often uncoordinated—can’t be duplicated in the airplane with a reasonable margin of safety, and existing light-airplane simulators don’t achieve convincing visual or kinesthetic fidelity. (Try putting one into a spin.) Instead, we practice at altitude. Having the cushion needed to recover from botched initial efforts eases the alarm that accompanies real-world excursions.