Why do we practice stalls? Is it to perfect the maneuver for the next check ride, learn how to recover the airplane after an inadvertent stall, or just avoid the whole thing in the first place? If we are honest, it’s a bit of all three, but the last one, stall avoidance, is sometimes underemphasized. Each plane stalls a bit differently. A Piper Warrior may mush and develop a sink rate. The Cessna 172 gives plenty of warning and a nice clean break. Then, there are some older classic planes that give little to no warning and easily snap into a spin. Hmm, the Wright Flyer, anyone?
In each case, exceeding the critical angle of attack, regardless of speed, altitude or configuration, is the cause. So, practicing stalls, slow flight,…
