Confused and uncomfortable?

I certainly understand why. Stalls make students and instructors uncomfortable. So, they probably get less work than they should in training. Also, the stall testing standard is different for the private versus the commercial pilot certificate. No wonder applicants are confused! Here are some of the common questions I field in the preflight brief.

Will I fail if the stall horn sounds during slow flight on a checkride?

No! But you should make a correction so that the horn does not continue to sound. For years, the testing standard for slow flight stated that the applicant must “establish and maintain an airspeed at which any further increase in angle of attack, increase in load factor, or reduction in power, would result in an immediate stall.” But, when the FAA changed over to the new airman certification standard (ACS), they changed the words immediate stall to read stall warning. That means we should not hear the horn much during the maneuver. Although no one likes change, I think the new ACS is a safer standard. When we practice slow flight with the stall warning continuously going off, we learn to ignore the horn. That’s not a great thing to be teaching new private pilots.

What speed should I fly during slow flight?

I teach my students to set up for the maneuver by slowing down until they hear the stall warning horn, then speed up five knots from there.

I cannot count the number of times I've ridden through a stall recovery where the applicant recovers by pushing so far forward that we put negative G forces on the airplane.If I exceed plus or minus 100 feet on slow flight, will I bust?

No. Perfection was never meant to be the rule for checkrides. Rather the 100 feet for private or 50 feet for commercial is a standard you should attempt to maintain. If and when you deviate, you need to make a prompt correction. The examiner will be looking to see how you correct here. Remember: pitch for airspeed, power for altitude.

If I do a turning stall, won’t we spin?

No. Spins are caused by an uncoordinated stall, not by a turning stall. The testing standard calls for both straight-ahead and turning stalls, so do not be surprised if you are asked to perform a stall with some specified degree of bank. The turning stall is easier because you do not have to maintain a certain heading. Just keep that ball in the middle to stay coordinated and roll wings level during the recovery.

Do we have to do the stall all the way to the full break?

For private pilot, the standard calls for a full break, whether single- or multiengine. But for a commercial certificate, the ACS states that the stall recovery should be at the examiner’s discretion. In other words, the examiner will let you know whether they would like to recover at first indication or after the full stall has occurred. So make sure you clarify this in the preflight brief.

The stall recovery should be abrupt and violent, right?

OK, most applicants don’t ask that question. But I wish they would! I cannot count the number of times I’ve ridden through a stall recovery where the applicant recovers by pushing so far forward that we put negative Gs on the airplane. Folks, please don’t practice it that way. If you stall above the runway and recover by pushing the nose down abruptly, you will hit the ground. Instead, when you get the full break, simply release the back-pressure so that the stall warning ceases and you regain positive airflow over the wings.

You mean I’m supposed to be talking during the stall maneuver on the checkride?

Yes. The ACS requires the applicant to speak during the maneuver and announce the stall indications as they happen. That might sound something like this: “There’s the horn. There’s the buffet. There’s the full stall.” Recover.

Here’s the sad truth about stalls: Loss of control is a leading cause of aviation accidents. And most of those stall/spin accidents occur during the takeoff and landing phase of flight. However, there’s absolutely nothing to be afraid of as long as you perform the stall within the manufacturer’s guidelines with plenty of altitude beneath you. So, if you have any lingering confusion about slow slight and stalls, make sure you call an instructor or your friendly examiner and get all your questions answered.

Natalie Bingham Hoover is a designated pilot examiner working primarily in Mississippi and Tennessee. myaviation101.com