Teaching Stalls, Part II

Yesterday, we hit the basics of teaching stalls. Today, let’s go a little more in depth.

First, some important questions. Why should we learn how to stall? Why should we learn how to recover from a stall? What is the importance of stalls? When can stalls occur? Can we minimize the loss of altitude when we stall? At what speeds can they happen? Does stall speed change? Are Rin-Tin-Tin and Lassie friends?

Aw, okay, the last one actually has nothing to do with stalls. I was just wondering…

Let’s take a look at the first question posed above: why should we learn about stalls? As with anything in aviation, we need to know. More importantly, our bodies, our muscles need to know. Sometimes the onset of a stalled condition is very subtle; as pilots, we need to know when the wing has actually stopped flying and we can initiate recovery procedures. This might allow us to avoid contacting the ground in a manner we would prefer to avoid.

Now, for the follow-on question of why we need to learn recovery techniques: after being able to recognize when the stall has happened, we also need to be able to tell when the wing is flying again. We should be confident in the recovery procedures, and then also, be able to understand and know when the wing is flying again.

Now for the third question: what is the importance of stalls? For one, when we land the airplane, we need to get the craft as slow as possible as we come down to the landing area. Ideally, we actually want the wing to quit flying the moment the wheels touch down. In order to do this, we must fully understand the process of stalling. We also need to know how to perform the maneuver safely as well as recognize that it has happened.

Yes, you can land an airplane without stalling, but not on a bona fide short field. Any excess speed at the time of touch down has an exponential effect on the distance of the landing rollout.

So, controlling the airspeed on final approach is the core of the stall and speed relationship. Another way of looking at this is to understand that in order to be safe, the pilot needs to be able to fly with confidence and know he or she will not get too slow on final.

The problem with getting too slow on final is the inadvertent stall so very close to the ground. If this happens, there might not be enough altitude to recover the airplane before hitting the ground out of control.

As a pilot, especially a pilot flying into a relatively short runway, you have to fly with confidence. The only way you can do this is by practicing stalls and stall recoveries and feeling confident in knowing the warnings of impending stall.

Regarding the question of when stalls can occur, and at what airspeed they occur, I talked about this to some degree in an earlier blog. As a student pilot, you will probably hear your flight instructor reciting the mantra: “Stalls can happen at any altitude, any airspeed, and any attitude.”

It is true. Stalls can happen anytime, anywhere, at any speed—if you allow it. The trick to minimizing the altitude lost is to be able to recognize the stall as it happens and recover right away. An attentive pilot can recover most airplanes with a minimal loss of altitude.

As for Rin-Tin-Tin and Lassie being friends, the question really begs the answer to how old you really are. If you know who Rin-Tin-Tin and Lassie are, well, you’re kind of old…

-30-

© 2011 J. Clark

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2 Responses to Teaching Stalls, Part II

  1. I understand reaching stall was a dog fight tactic WW 2 (?)

    • Joe Clark says:

      No, it is a basic law of aerodynamics and physics, one that has been getting pilots in trouble ever since the beginning of flight… Many combat aviators have used stalls as an aerial combat maneuever, all the way from World War I to present day.

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