AFH Chapter 4-18 Full Stalls, Power-On

Full Stalls, Power-On

Power-on stall recoveries are practiced from straight climbs and climbing turns (15° to 20° bank) to help the pilot recognize the potential for an accidental stall during takeoff, go around, climb, or when trying to clear an obstacle. 

 

Airplanes equipped with flaps or retractable landing gear should normally be in the takeoff configuration; however, power-on stalls should also be practiced with the airplane in a clean configuration (flaps and gear retracted) to ensure practice with all possible takeoff and climb configurations. 

 

Power for practicing the takeoff stall recovery should be maximum power, although for some airplanes it may be reduced to a setting that will prevent an excessively high pitch attitude.

 

To set up the entry for power-on stalls, establish the airplane in the takeoff or climb configuration. 

 

Slow the airplane to normal lift-off speed while continuing to clear the area of other traffic. 

 

Upon reaching the desired speed, set takeoff power or the recommended climb power for the power-on stall (often referred to as a departure stall) while establishing a climb attitude. 

 

The purpose of reducing the airspeed to lift-off airspeed before the throttle is advanced to the recommended setting is to avoid an excessively steep nose-up attitude for a long period before the airplane stalls.

 

After establishing the climb attitude, smoothly raise the nose to increase the AOA, and hold that attitude until the full stall occurs. 

 

As described in connection with the stall characteristics discussion, continual adjustments must be made to aileron pressure, elevator pressure, and rudder pressure to maintain coordinated flight while holding the attitude until the full stall occurs. 

 

In most airplanes, as the airspeed decreases the pilot must move the elevator control progressively further back while simultaneously adding right rudder and maintaining the climb attitude until reaching the full stall.

 

The pilot must promptly recognize when the stall has occurred and take action to prevent a prolonged stalled condition. 

 

The pilot should recover from the stall by immediately reducing the AOA and applying as much nose-down control input as required to eliminate the stall warning, level the wings with ailerons, coordinate with rudder, and smoothly advance the power as needed. 

 

Since the throttle is already at the climb power setting, this step may simply mean confirming the proper power setting.

 

The final step is to return the airplane to the desired flightpath (e.g., straight and level or departure/climb attitude). 

 

With sufficient airspeed and control effectiveness, return the throttle to the appropriate power setting.

 

Secondary Stall

A secondary stall is so named because it occurs after recovery from a preceding stall. 

 

It is typically caused by abrupt control inputs or attempting to return to the desired flightpath too quickly and the critical AOA is exceeded a second time. 

 

It can also occur when the pilot does not sufficiently reduce the AOA by lowering the pitch attitude or attempts to break the stall by using power only. 

 

When a secondary stall occurs, the pilot should again perform the stall recovery procedures by applying nose-down elevator pressure as required to eliminate the stall warning, level the wings with ailerons, coordinate with rudder, and adjust power as needed. 

 

When the airplane is no longer in a stalled condition the pilot can return the airplane to the desired flightpath. 

 

For pilot certification, this is a demonstration-only maneuver; only flight instructor applicants may be required to perform it on a practical test.