Checkride: The new slow flight

The PTS established that slow flight be accomplished while flying really slow—as slow as the airplane can fly without stalling. Specifically, the PTS stated that any further increase in angle of attack, increase in load factor, or reduction in power would result in an immediate stall. This meant that the airplane had to be flown right on the ragged edge of the actual stall speed, which also meant that the airplane’s stall warning system would be actively and continuously—sometimes loudly—alerting the pilot of the impending stall.

Under the ACS guidance, slow flight is trained and tested at an airspeed that is five to 10 knots above the stall warning activation speed. Properly performed, the maneuver should not activate the stall warning system at all. But if it is activated, the pilot is expected to take prompt and positive stall recovery measures. If a stall warning is activated during a practical test, following the stall recovery procedure would not be grounds for failure. Failure to take any corrective action and ignoring the stall warning, however, would be considered unsatisfactory.

The shift in philosophy to demonstrate slow flight at a slow speed—but not as slow as possible—is aimed at eliminating a condition that potentially desensitizes pilots to stall warning indications, either preventing or delaying a pilot’s reaction to them should an unintentionally slow speed ever be encountered. The rationale is that if a pilot is trained from the beginning to instinctively add power and reduce the pitch attitude (angle of attack) whenever a stall warning is activated, the hope is that muscle memory will take over, especially in critical situations, and stall recoveries will always be prompt and effective—perhaps reversing a tendency for even seasoned professional pilots to sometimes fall prey to their inability to recognize and recover effectively from unintentional stalls.

Under this new training and testing protocol, it would be reasonable to conclude that a pilot would hear or see a stall warning system activation only when practicing stalls and stall recovery procedures. The continued practice of stalls during training is still—and will forever be—an essential part of learning how to avoid them in the first place. The ability to see, feel, and anticipate an approaching stall is a critical skill that only comes from effective stall training.

What do all these changes mean to you, the student? The new slow flight procedure still calls for precise heading, altitude, and coordination control. The only real difference is that the target speed for the maneuver is slightly faster. Successful completion will still demand a rapid scan between outside visual references and the flight instruments, making small, effective, and timely control inputs to quickly correct for any trends away from the desired readings. Challenging, yes—but easily doable with proper practice.

As I see it, the only disadvantage with the new procedure is that the old “slow as possible” rules enabled a student pilot to gain a better understanding of what an approaching stall feels like, since he or she would be sitting right on its doorstep while maneuvering in slow flight. Just nibbling at the edge of a stall was a terrific way of getting to know how it looks, feels, and behaves. Reinforced regular practice of full stalls and stall recovery procedures now becomes an essential extension of the new slow flight procedures. To learn more about these changes and the rationale behind them, review the newly revised section on slow flight in the FAA’s Airplane Flying Handbook at the website.