FAA PRACTICAL TESTS: WHAT S A STALL?

摘要

The FAA's view of demonstrating stall recognition and recovery differs, depending on the level of pilot certificate sought. The Practical Test Standards (PTS) for the private, recreational and sport certificates call for configuring the airplane for a power-off or power-on stall, slowing until induc-rning an actual stall, and recovering promptly "after the stall occurs." The commercial pilot PTS has a subtle but important distinction: It calls for demonstrating stalls with recovery promptly "as the stall occurs/'This is usu ally interpreted as recovery at the first aerodynamic indication of a stall, or the onset of stall buffet. The airline transport PTS requires demonstration of "approaches to stalls," with recovery begun "at the first indication of an impending stall," be that "buffeting, stick shaker, decay of control effectiveness [or] any other cues." Hearing a stall warning horn typically set to go off at an angle of attack five to seven knots above stall speed is enough to command recovery for the ATP candidate.