Stall Recovery

[24 carat]

How about this one:

I was always told that to recover from a stall, whether imminent or actual, you apply full power immediately. But the other day I flew with this guy and he got all worked up, when I did just that. He told me not to add power until you have a positive rate of climb, because otherwise you are just accelerating towards the ground.

It's contrary to what I have always been told, and contrary to my gut instinct, but he was very senior. Had been instructed for years and years, and had loads of hours. So, who am I to question him?

Still, it bugs me, what do you guys and galls think?

 

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

Well we’re obviously talking about power off or (approach to landing stalls). So in that case the recovery is relatively simple.

1. Smoothly reduce pitch attitude, pitch slightly below the horizon.
2. Power - Add full power then just continue the recovery with flaps etc.
The power and pitch changes above are by the book. Although in real-life flying situations, you're going to do them almost simultaneously.

 

[paid4training]

Texan is correct about the proceedure. keep this in mind though...If you go to wings level and don't have the power in you could get into a secondary stall and possibly spin. I am not sure what he meant by positive rate, but Regardless of the type airplane, in a power-on/off stall you need to get the nose down and add power etc.

 

[Stby One]

The only time I can think of where you wouldn't use max power is if you are in a jet upset and you can't get the nose down. In the B737 for example (engines below CG), reducing the power will decrease pitch up tendency and may help you get the nose down so you can get the wing flying again.

Other than that, always full power.

 

[24 carat]

What this guy meant was drop the nose of the plane (after the stall) , build up enough speed, then start pulling up. Only once you see a positive rate of climb do you add power. To me it seems like this way you only loose more altitude because it takes so long do accelerate (without engine power). Strange indeed.

 

[b350capt]

well, he may have been using old information, misguided. A previously issued version of FAR23.201 (Part 23 certification) stated:

[(c) The wings level stall characteristics must be demonstrated in flight as follows: Starting from a speed above the stall warning speed, the elevator control must be pulled back so that the rate of speed reduction will not exceed one knot per second until a stall is produced, as shown by an uncontrollable downward pitching motion of the airplane, until the control reaches the stop or until the activation of an artificial stall barrier, for example, stick pusher. Normal use of the elevator control for recovery is allowed after the pitching motion has unmistakably developed or after the control has been held against the stop for not less than two seconds. In addition, engine power may not be increased for recovery until the speed has increased to approximately 1.2

.]

However, that is no longer current, and there is no mention of proper timing of power application, except that in the flying handbook and AC's that Angle of Attack must be reduced prior to power application. And i'm assuing also that you are talking about power off stalls in a clean configuration, because many aircraft will not obtain a positive rate of climb w/o power in a dirty confirguration (unless you let it descend an obscene ammount), and the recovery procedure requires a positive rate of climb to clean up.

Also from the PVT pilot PTS (which im assuming you're going for)

6) Recognizes and recovers promptly after the stall occurs by
simultaneously reducing the angle of attack, increasing power to
maximum allowable, and leveling the wings to return to a straightand-
level flight attitude with a minimum loss of altitude appropriate
for the airplane.

Been about five years since i've done any instructing so i may be missing things, but these are my thoughts....​

 

[paid4training]

Sounds like a good explanation of the situation. I agree nose down w/out adding power will cause you to loose more alt. and stalls usually happen close to the ground.

I did not realize in a 737 you would actually not add full power on stalls...is that the case on some of the cr and xr's flying today?

 

[Stby One]

paid4training:

In the B737 you would add max power on a stall. However if you for some reason ended up in an upset attitude (nose high in this case), you may actually have to reduce power to break the upset/stall if there's not enough nose down elevator available. If that doens't help you would use ailerons/roll to try and get the nose down. The last resort would be to give a little bit of rudder in the same direction as ailerons.

 

[paid4training]

paid4training:

In the B737 you would add max power on a stall. However if you for some reason ended up in an upset attitude (nose high in this case), you may actually have to reduce power to break the upset/stall if there's not enough nose down elevator available. If that doens't help you would use ailerons/roll to try and get the nose down. The last resort would be to give a little bit of rudder in the same direction as ailerons.

I could not imagine having to do that...have you ever known of anyone in that situation having to do that proceedure?

 

[SBD]

Power off stall, you must get the nose down first to get the airflow going over the wings. It's the high pressure seeks low pressure theory. As you lower the nose you should add full power and set a nose up attitude (not too much) to get the aircraft to increase altitude/lift. The same theory almost applies to a power on stall. Your stalling the aircraft and you need to get airflow going over the wings. Just make sure that you are coordinated throught the maneuver.