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AC 120-109A - Stall Prevention and Recovery Training
Reproduced for study. Always verify against the official GACAR at gaca.gov.sa.
U.S. Department
of Transportation Advisory
Federal Aviation
Administration Circular
Subject: Stall Prevention and Recovery Date: 11/24/15 AC No: 120-109A
Training Initiated by: AFS- 200 Change:
This advisory ci rcular (AC) provides guidance for t raining, te sting, and ch ecking pilots to ensure
correc t response s to imp ending and f ull sta lls. For air carriers, Title 14 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (14 CFR) part 121 contains the applicable regulatory requirements. Al though this AC
is directed to part 121 a ir carri ers, the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA) encourage s all
air carriers, airplane ope rators, pilot schools, and t raining centers to use this guidance for st all
prevention t raining, te sting , and checking. This guidance wa s created f or operato rs of transpor t
category airplanes; however, many of the pr inciples apply to all airplane s. The content wa s
developed based on a revie w of recommended prac tices d eveloped by major airpla ne
manufactu rers, labor or ganizations, a ir carriers, training organizations, simulator manufac turers,
and industry representative organizations.
T
his AC inc ludes the following core principle s:
• Reducing angle of attack (AOA) is the most important pilot action in recovering from
an impending or full stall.
• Pilot training should emphasize teaching the same recovery technique for impending
stalls and full stalls.
• Evaluation criteria for a recovery f rom an impending stall should not include a
predetermined value for altitude loss. Instead, criteria should consider the multitude of
external and internal variables that affect the recovery altitude.
• Once the stall recovery procedure is mastered by maneuver -based training, stall
prevention training should include realistic scenarios that could be encountered in operational conditions, including impending stalls with the autopilot engaged at high altitudes.
• Full stall training is an instructor -guided, hands- on experience of applying the stall
recovery procedure and will allow the pilot to experience the associated flight dynamics from stall onset through the recovery.
This re vision of AC 120-109 ref lects ne w part 121 regula tory ter ms and incorpora tes the full st all
training requirement of Public Law 111-216. Considerable eva luation of the f ull fli ght simulator
(FFS) must occur before conduc ting full sta ll training in simulation. R efere nce Appendix 5 for
FFS evaluation considerations.
John S. Duncan Directo r, Flight Standard s Service
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Page iii CONTEN TS
Paragraph Page
CHAP TER 1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION .........................................................................1
1-1. Gene ral ..............................................................................................................................1
1-2. Cancellation ......................................................................................................................1
1-3. Summary of Changes ........................................................................................................1
1-4. Air Carriers Conducting Training in Airplanes ................................................................1
1-5. Part 121 Requirements ......................................................................................................2
1-6. Advanced Qualification Programs ....................................................................................2
1-7. Definitions/Terms .............................................................................................................2
1-8. Related Regulations ..........................................................................................................4
1-9. Related FAA G uidance .....................................................................................................4
1-10. Related References ...........................................................................................................4
CHAP TER 2. STALL TRAINING C URRICULUM S ........................................................... 5
2-1. Gene ral ..............................................................................................................................5
2-2. Training Goals .............................................................................................................. 5
2-3. Training R equirements .....................................................................................................6
2-4. Instructor/Evaluator Standar dization ................................................................................6
2-5. Recovery Procedures ........................................................................................................7
2-6. Flight Standar dization Board (FSB) Reports ....................................................................7
CHAP TER 3. G ROUND/AC ADE MIC TRAINING ......................................................................9
3-1. Academ ic Knowledge .......................................................................................................9
3-2. Knowledge A reas ..............................................................................................................9
CHAP TER 4. STALL PREVEN TION T RAINING AND C HECKING ......................................13
4-1. Gene ral ............................................................................................................................13
4-2. Simulator Training (§ 121.424) ......................................................................................13
4-3. Using Su rprise in Training ..............................................................................................16
4-4. Checking Parameters ......................................................................................................16
4-5. Checking Criteria ............................................................................................................16
4-6. Realistic Settings for Checking .......................................................................................16
4-7. Debriefing .......................................................................................................................17
CHAP TER 5. STALL RECOVE RY TRAINING .........................................................................19
5-1. General ............................................................................................................................19
5-2. Full Stall Training ...........................................................................................................19
5-3. Special Considerations i n Full Stall Training .................................................................19
5-4. Stick Pusher ....................................................................................................................19
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Page iv APPENDIX 1. ST ALL RECOVE RY TEM PLATE (2 pages) ....................................................1
APPENDIX 2. S AMPLE DEMONSTRAT IONS (2 pages) ......................................................1
APPENDIX 3. S AMPLE TRAINING SCENARIOS (6 pages) .................................................1
APPENDIX 4. S AMPLE FULL STALL TRAINING M ANEUVE R (2 pages) .......................1
APPENDIX 5. FFS CONSIDERAT IONS (4 pages) ...................................................................1
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 1-1 Page 1 CHAPTER 1. BACK GROUND I NFORMATION
1-1. GENERAL . Based on accident review, a concern exists with in the Federal Avi ation
Administra tion (F AA) and indust ry regarding loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) accidents and
incidents. A recurring causal factor in LOC-I accidents and inc idents is the pilot ’s inappropriate
reaction to imp ending stalls and full sta lls. Evid ence exists th at some pilots are failing to avoid
conditions tha t may lead to a stall, or are failing to recognize the insidious ons et of an imp ending
stall during routine operations in both m anual and autom atic flight. Evide nce also exists th at
some pilots ma y not ha ve the required skills or training to respond appropriately to an
unexpected stall. Stall training should a lways emphasize reduction of angle of attack ( AOA) as
the most impo rtant response when confront ed with an imp ending or full sta ll. This advisory
circular ( AC) provide s best practic es on t raining, testing, and checking of impending stalls and
training of full sta lls, in cluding recomm ended recove ry procedures.
1-2. CANCELLATION. This AC cancels AC 120 -109, Stall and Stic k Pusher Training, dated
August 6, 2012.
1-3. SUMMARY OF CHANGES. Many minor changes have been made to improve clarity,
accuracy, completeness, and consistency. Significant changes include the following:
• Additional information to support the requirement for stall recovery training.
• Added regulatory requirements contained in the Qualification, Service, and Use of
Crewmembers and Aircraft Dispatchers final rule issued November 12, 2013 and
associated supporting information.
• Updated information in Appendix 5, FFS Considerations.
• Updated and/or added the following definitions: stall prevention training, stall recovery
training, full stall, stall warning, and secondary stall warning.
1-4. AIR CARRI ERS CONDUCT ING TRAINING IN AI RPLANES .
a. Stall Prevention Training. Although the training in this AC is designed to be
conducted in a flight simulation training device (FSTD ), those operators using airplanes for
training can incorporate into their training programs all of the academic elements and some of the flight training elements. Operators should carefully select flight training maneuvers and employ risk mitigation strategies. Airplanes used for flight training elements should be those designed for the specific maneuvers b eing conducted, and training programs should use
instructors specifically qualified to conduct stall training in airplanes. The FAA recommends that
any operator conducting stall training in airplanes follow the guidance and associated risk mitigation str ategies contained in ICAO’s Doc 10011, Manual on Aeroplane Upset Prevention
and Recovery Training.
b. Stall Recovery Training. For Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR)
part 121 air carriers, § 121.423(c) requires an instructor -guided, hands -on experience of recovery
from full stall and stick pusher activation, if equipped, to be conducted in a Level C or higher full flight simulator (FFS). Air carriers are encouraged to use the highest fidelity level FFS available.
In accordance with § 121.423, part 121 air carriers may submit a request to the Administrator for
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 1-4 Page 2 approval of a deviation from the FFS requirements to conduct the extended envelope training
using an alternative method to meet the learning objectives of § 121.423.
1-5. PART 121 REQUIREMENTS (§ 121.423(c) and P art 121 Appendi ces E and F). All
part 121 air carriers, including those who train under an Advanced Qualification Program (AQP), are required to conduct stall prevention training, and beginning March 12, 2019, all part 121 air carriers m ust conduct instructor -guided, hands -on experience of recovery from full stall and stick
pusher activation, if equipped. The requirement for part 121 pilots to receive stall recovery training is statutorily mandated in Public Law 111 -216, Section 208. T he FAA does not have the
authority to exempt any part 121 air carrier from this requirement.
1-6. ADVANCED QUALIFICATION PROGRAMS . For simpl icity, because part 121
subpart N and appendices E and F contain the requirements for stall prevention and recovery
training, the terminology used in this AC is consistent with those regulations. Therefore, the term
checking is used and the terms for the training categories defined in § 121.400 are used. Air
carriers with an AQP should make terminolog y adjustments, as a ppropriate. Regardless of the
type of training program, the instructor -guided, hands -on experience of recovery from full stall
and stick pusher activation, if equipped, is a training maneuver that is not checked or evaluated.
Air carriers with an AQP shoul d use this AC in conjunction with the current edition of AC 120-
54, Advanced Qualification Program.
1-7. DEFINITION S/TERMS. To p rovide greater clarity for the training communi ty, stall
terminolo gy in this AC has been simplif ied. For the purpose of this A C, the following definitions
and terms are provide d:
a. Angle of Attack (AOA) . The angle between the oncoming air, or relative wind, a nd a
reference line on the airplane or wing.
b. Crew Resource Management (CRM). Effective use of all available resources: hum an
resources, har dware, and information.
c. Flight Simulation Training Device (FSTD). An FFS or a flight training device (FTD).
d. Full Stall. Any one, or combina tion of , the following characteristics: (a) an
uncommanded nos e-down pit ch tha t cannot be readily arrested, which may be accompanied by
an uncommanded rolling motion; ( b) buffeting of a magnitude and severity that is a strong and
effective deterrent to f urther increase in AOA ; (c) no further increase in pitch occurs when the
pitch control is held at the full aft stop for 2 seconds, leading to an inability to arrest descent rate ;
(d) activ ation of a stick pusher .
e. Impending Stall. An AOA th at causes a stall warning . In this A C, impending stall
means the same as the AOA for an approach-to-stall or the first indication of stall.
f. Landi ng Co nfiguration. Landing gear extended and the flaps set at an approved
setting for a normal landing.
g. Maneuver-Based Training. Training that focuses on a single event or maneuver in
isolation.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 1-7 Page 3 h. Scenario-Based Training (SBT) . Training that incorporates maneuvers into real -world
experiences to c ultivate practical flying skills in a n operation al environment.
i. Secondar y Stall. A premature increase in A OA t hat results in a nothe r full stall during
stall recove ry, prior to a stable flight condition be ing establish ed.
j. Secondary Stall Warning. A reoccurrence of a stall warning.
k. Stall E vent. An imp ending stall or a full sta ll.
l. Stall P revention Training. Ground a nd flight instruction to reco gnize and to a vert an
impending stall, and to r einforce the application of the stall recov ery procedur e for an imp ending
or full sta ll.
m. Stall R ecovery Procedure. The correct, airplane- specific actions developed by the
operator, in consultation with their airplane manufacturer, that their pilots apply to return the
airplane to safe flight after a stall. If consultation is impracticable, the st all recov ery template in
Appendix 1 can be used.
n. Stall R ecovery T raining. Instructor-guided, hands-on experience of applying the stall
recov ery procedure for a full sta ll.
o. Stall Warning. An alert furnished either through inherent aerodynamics, such as
buffeting, or by synthetic means, such as a stick shaker or a persistent aural -and-visual cue ,
giving clear indications prior to a full stall to allow a pilot to prevent a full stall. See 14 CFR
part 25, § 25.207.
p. Startle. An uncontrollable, automatic muscle reflex, raised heart rate, blood pressure,
etc., elicited by exposure to a sudden, intense event that violates a pilot’s expectations.
q. Stick Pusher. A s afety system that applies dow nward elevator pressure to assist in the
avoidance, ide ntification , or recove ry of a full sta ll.
r. Surprise. An unexpected event that violates a pilot’s expectations and can affect the
mental processes used to respond to the event.
s. Takeoff or Maneuvering Co nfiguration. The airplane’s nor mal configuration f or
takeoff, approach, go-around, or miss ed approach until a ll flaps/slats are retracted. Retractable
landing gear may be extended or retracted.
t. Transfer of Training. The degree to wh ich wh at was learned in t raining
(e.g., classroom FSTD) can be a pplied on- the-job (e.g., flight operations) . In this c ontext,
“negative tra nsfer of training” is when knowledge or skills learned in the classroom or FSTD
impede those necessary in the aircraft .
u. Uncoordinated Flight. Flight with slipping or skidding .
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 1-7 Page 4 v. Undesired Aircraf t State. A c ondition tha t unacceptably re duces safety margins,
including low e nergy situations.
1-8. RELA TED RE GULATION S. Title 14 C FR parts 25, 61, 91 subpar t K (part 91K ), 121,
125, 1 35, 141, a nd 142.
1-9. RELA TED FAA GUIDANCE (current edition).
• Safety Alerts for Operators (SAFO) 10012, P ossible Misint erpretation of the Practical
Test Standards (PTS) Language “Minima l Loss o f Altitud e”.
• Information f or Operato rs (InFO) 10010, E nhanced Up set Recove ry Training .
• Airline Transpor t Pilot a nd Ai rcraft Type Rating Practical T est Standards for Airplane.
• Comm ercial Pilot P ractica l Test Standards for Airplane, Single-Engine Land (SEL),
Multie ngine Land (MEL), Single-Engine Sea (SES), Multi engine Sea (MES).
• Order 8900.1, Volume 2, Air Operator, Air Agency Certification.
• Order 8900.1, Volume 3, General Techni cal Adm inistration.
• Order 8900.1, Volume 5, Airman Certification.
• AC 120- 51, C rew Resource Management (CRM ).
• AC 120- 54 Advanced Qualification Program .
• AC 120- 90, Line Operations S afety Audits ( LOSA).
• AC 120- 111, Ups et Prevention a nd R ecove ry Training .
1-10. RELA TED R EFERENCES.
• Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid ,
http://www. faa.gov/othe r_visit/a viation_indust ry/airline_operato rs/training/media/AP_
UpsetRecove ry_Book.pd f.
• Defensive Flying for Pilots: An Introduction to Threat a nd Error Management,
Ashl eigh Merritt, P h.D. a nd James Klin ect, Ph.D. ( The University of Texas Hum an
Factors Research P roject 1 - The LOSA Collaborative),
http://www.s kybrary.aero/bookshe lf/books/1982.pdf .
• An Ev aluation of Several Stall Mode ls for Comm ercial Transpo rt Training, J. Schroeder,
J. Cohen, D. S hikany, D. Gingras, and P. Desrochers, AIAA Mo deling and Simula tion
Technol ogies Conference, National Harbor, MD, Jan. 2014. A vailable at
http://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/media/Evaluation_of_Stall_Models_for_Training.pdf .
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 2-1 Page 5 CHAPTER 2. STALL TRAINING CURRICUL UMS
2-1. GENERAL .
a. Common Guidance. This c hapter provides common g uidance for all sta ll prevention
and recove ry training curriculums, while Chapters 4 and 5 pr ovide detailed information f or stall
prevention t raining and checki ng and st all recov ery training, respectively. An ef fective stall
training curriculum should pr ovide pilots the knowl edge and skills to a void unde sired aircraft
states that increase the risk of e ncountering a stall event or, if not a voide d, to respond c orrectly
and pr omptly to a stall event. The reason f or using the term “stall event” is to e mpha size that the
recov ery technique for an imp ending stall or full st all is the same.
b. Stall Event Training. Stall event training must in clude both g round and flight training.
The training m ethodolog y should f ollow the building block approach of first intr oduc ing
essential concepts and academic unde rstanding during ground t raining before progressing to the
practic al appli cation of those skills in a n FFS . Similar ly, familiar ity with a irplane charact eristics
and de velopm ent of basic recovery handling skills th rough maneuver-based training should
precede th eir application in s cenario-based training. This p rogressive approach leads to a more
compl ete appreci ation of how to r ecognize an imp ending stall, respond a ppropriately in
situations of sur prise, and recover effectively when required. Training provide rs should de velop
training curriculums th at provide pilots with the knowl edge and skills to r ecognize, prevent, and
recove r from un expected stall events. The se training curriculums should c ontain the elements
described in this A C.
c. Envelope -Protected Airplanes. Envelope -protected airplanes have, in general,
demonstrated a lower rate of stall accidents and incidents; however, the rate is not zero. Stall
accidents and incidents in envelope -protected airplanes typically occur when th e protections
have failed, requiring the pilot to return the aircraft to safe flight using a degraded flight control
mode. As such, it is important to carefully develop the stall prevention and recovery training for envelope -protected aircraft so that (1) the failure path(s) to reach the degraded modes are
understood, (2) pilots learn to identify the rarely occurring impending or full stalls, and (3) pilots
demonstrate they have the skill to return the aircraft to safe flight with the degraded flight control laws. Although the potential failures that lead to degraded modes must be understood by pilots,
handling multiple failure s should not be a component of maneuver -based st all training. The
simulator should be placed in a degraded mode by the instructor, clearing all warnings and cautions associated with the failures before the stall training begins. Training providers should seek manufacture guidance for preferred methods of placing the simulator in degraded modes.
2-2. TRAINING GOALS. Desired training goals for stall prevention a nd recove ry training
include the followin g:
a. Proper recognition of opera tional and environmental conditions tha t increase the
likelihood of a stall event.
b. Knowl edge of stall funda mentals, including f actors that affect stall speed a nd any
implications f or the expected flight ope rations .
c. Understanding of the s tall characteristics for the specific airplane.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 2-2 Page 6 d. Proper aeronautical d ecision-making skills to a void st all events (e .g., effective analysis,
awareness, resource management, mitig ation st rategies, and br eaking the error chain through
airmanship a nd sound judg ment).
e. Proper recognition of an impending stall in varied conditions and configurations .
f. The effects of autoflight, flight envelope protection in normal and degraded modes, and
unexpected dis conne cts of the autopilot or a utothr ottle/autothr ust.
g. Proper recognition of when the flight condition ha s transition ed from the prevention
phase and into the recove ry phase.
h. Proper application of the stall recovery procedure.
2-3. TRAINING REQUIRE MENTS (§§ 121.418, 121.419, 121.423, 121.424, an d 121.427) .
While basic aerodynamics and st all training are accomplish ed as part of a pilot’ s private,
comm ercial, and airline transpor t pilot ( ATP) certifications, it is impo rtant to reinforce this b asic
training throughout a pilot’s career. Training providers should e nsure that pilots ar e thoroughly
familia r with the characteristics associated with t he specific airplane. Training providers should
also under stand tha t some pilots ma y need to unl earn pre vious st all recovery procedur es based on
their prior experience. This AC describes the stall event training that a pilot should receive when
employed by a part 121 air carrier. The essential concepts of stall training should be stand- alone
training. Once the concepts are mastered, stall training may be incorporated into other training
areas (e.g., CRM, adverse weather training, etc.). Air carriers must in clude stall event training f or
pilots dur ing:
• Initial training,
• Transition t raining,
• Differences and re lated aircraft differences training (if differences exist),
• Upgrade training,
• Requalification t raining (if applicable), and
• Recurre nt training.
2-4. INSTRUCT OR/EVAL UAT OR ST ANDARDI ZATION ( §§ 121.413 a nd 121.414) .
Instructors and evaluators should receive training in the subj ect ar eas contained in this A C.
Knowl edge of these subj ect areas e nsures accurate stall event training and minimi zes the risk of
negative transfer of training.
a. Instructor/Evaluator Training. Instructor/evaluator training should f ocus on the
practic al application of these principles and the evaluation o f a pilot’ s under standing of the
airplane’s operati ng characteristics. Instructors should:
• Demonstrate knowledge of all subject areas of this advisory circular;
• Demonstrate proficiency in all skill areas of this advisory circular; and
• Demonstate proficiency in conducting maneuver -based and scenario -based stall
prevention and recovery training.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 2-4 Page 7 (and 8) b. Understanding of FFS Limitations. Instructors/evaluators must h ave a clear
understanding of the FFS limita tions tha t may influence the stall event training and checking
including :
• Significant de viations f rom a particular FFS’s acceptable training e nvelope; and
• G loading a wareness/accelerated stall—facto rs absent from t he FFS’s cues that
could be e xperienced in flight and the effect on the airplane behavior and recov ery
considerations.
2-5. RECOVE RY PROC EDURES . This AC empha sizes using the same procedure for both
stall prevention a nd st all recove ry. Previous t raining and evaluation pr ofiles that required a
specific set of pilot -initia ted, precise entry procedures have been r eplaced with realistic
scenar ios. Additiona lly, recove ry profiles that emphasize zero or minima l altitude loss a nd the
imme diate advancement of maximum th rust h ave been e limin ated. Recov ery procedur es now
empha size:
• Disconnectin g the autopi lot and autothr ottle/autothr ust systems,
• Reducing the airplane’s AOA imm ediately,
• Controlling roll af ter reducing the airplane AOA,
• Managing thrust appropriately, and
• Returning the airplane to the desired flight path.
2-6. FLIGHT STANDARD IZATION B OARD ( FSB) REPORTS. When developing stall
prevention a nd recov ery training, air carriers sho uld consult the FSB report, if available, for the
specific airplane type. The Training Areas of Special Emph asis, a nd any other recomm endations
pertaining to stall, should be reviewed.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 3-1 Page 9 CHAPTER 3. GROUND/ ACADE MIC TRAINING
3-1. ACADE MIC KNOW LEDGE. Academic instruction e stablish es the founda tion from
which situ ational awareness (SA), insi ght, knowl edge, and skills ar e developed. Academic
knowl edge should pr oceed from the general to the specific. Including accident, incident,
Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), flight operations quality assurance (FOQA), or
Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) data from sta ll-related events is a useful way of
bringing theoretical knowl edge into a n operation al perspectiv e.
NOTE: The FAA s trongly reco mme nds i ncorporation of applicable sections
of the Airplane Upset Recove ry Training Aid on stall aerod ynamics and high
altitude stalls in to air carrier stall tr aining programs. Th e Airplane Upset
Recove ry Training Aid is availab le at:
http://ww w.faa.gov /other_visi t/aviat ion_industry/airline_operators/training/
media/AP_UpsetRecovery_Book.pdf.
3-2. KNOW LED GE ARE AS. The following knowl edge areas should be included in a ll
airplane training curriculums:
a. Recovery Procedures. Proper recovery procedures should emphasize that a reduction
of the AOA is re quired to initi ate recovery of all sta ll events. Additional information to
incorporate into recovery training includes:
(1) Recognition of impending stall indications and understanding of the need to initiate
the stall recovery procedure at an impending stall .
(2) For airplanes equipped with a stick pusher, recommended recovery actions in
response to stick pusher activation.
(3) Avoiding cyclical or oscillatory cont rol inputs to prevent exceeding the structural
limits of the airplane .
(4) Structural considerations, including explanation of limit load, ultimate load, and the
dangers of combining accelerative and rolling moments (i.e., the rolling pull) during recovery .
(5) The necessity for smooth, deliberate, and positive control inputs to avoid
unacceptable load factors and secondary stalls .
(6) AOA must be reduced prior to controlling roll .
(7) Effectiveness of control surfaces and the order in which the control surfaces lose
and regain their effectiveness (e.g., spoilers, ailerons, etc.) .
(8) If a terrain awareness warning system (TAWS) warning is encountered during
recovery from a low altitude stall event, recovery from the stall warning shoul d take precedence.
Once the airplane recovers from the stall event, then execute the TAWS escape maneuver.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 3-2 Page 10 b. Factors L eading to a S tall E vent. An a wareness of the factors that may lead to a stall
event dur ing a utom ated and m anual flight ope rations in cluding :
• AOA v ersus pit ch angle;
• Rate of onset including rate of airspeed decay (both low and high) ;
• Airplane configuration and condition including weight, center of gravity ( CG),
landing gear, flaps/slats, spoilers/ speed brakes, etc. ;
• Asymmetric loading including thrust asymmetries, wing loading due to roll or yaw
transients or uncoordinated flight ;
• G loading;
• Bank angle;
• Thrust and lift vectors;
• Thrust required versus thrust available ;
• Wind shear ;
• Altitud e;
• Mach e ffects ;
• Situational Awarene ss
• Mode confusion, including unexpected/unannounced mode changes ;
• Unexpected transition from automated to manual flight; and
• Contamination ( ice), including the effect of icing on stall speed and stall warnings .
c. Airplane -Specific S ystems Knowledge.
(1) Understanding of AOA indicators (if installed) or interpretation of other
representations of AOA such as pitch- limit indicators or speed display symbology that can assist
in stall prevention.
(2) Specific stall and low speed buffet characteristics unique to the airplane type and
any implications for the expected flight operations and airplane -specific stall recovery procedure
(e.g., underwing mounted eng ines, t -tail, propellers, etc.).
(3) For envelope protected airplanes, stall protection capabilities in normal and
degraded modes.
(4) Thru st settings and its application.
(5) Autothrottle/autothrust protection.
(6) Awareness of autoflight mode indications.
(7) Incorrect use of (including input errors ) flight path automated systems.
(8) Operation a nd function of stall protection s ystems in nor mal, abnormal, and
emergency situ ations, inc luding the hazards of overriding or ignoring stall protection s ystem
indications. Aw areness of the facto rs that may lead suc h systems to fa il, as well as degraded
mode s, indi cations, or behaviors that may occur with s ystem failures.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 3-2 Page 11 (and 12) d. High A ltitude C onsiderations.
(1) Buffet boundary and margins in flight planning and operational flying.
(2) Lower margins for stall onset and recovery (i.e., coffin corner) and possible buffet
cueing differences on the high- speed versus the low -speed margin .
(3) Principles of high altitude aerodynamics, performance capabilities , and limitations ;
including high altitude operations and flight techniques (i.e. , the need to avoid secondary stall by
extended nose -down recover y, compared to lower altitudes).
(4) Differences in airplane performance (e.g., thrust available) during high versus low
altitude operations, the effects of those differences on stall recovery, and the anticipated altitude
loss during a recovery.
e. Airplane C ertification D ifferences. Differences b etween transport category airplane
certification a nd general aviation a irplane certification r egarding use of flight controls at high
AOA. For example, if the roll control system is compromised and the ailerons are unable to
produce the required roll recovery, the rudder may be used with care during stall prevention and recovery. To maintain structural integrity , it is important to guard against control reversals —
avoid rapid full -scale reversal of control deflections.
f. Example E vents. Although significant emphasis should be placed on preventing stall
events, it is important for pilots to understand that, although rare, s tall events continu e to occur.
Studying the causes and contributing factors of stall events give pilots more knowledge to help prevent or if necessar y, recover from a stall event. A review of stall-related accidents, i ncidents,
ASAP, FOQA , and A SRS da ta for the specific airplane type or class should be included in
ground training.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 4-1 Page 13 CHAPTER 4. STALL PREVENTION T RAINING AND CH ECKING
4-1. GENERAL . This c hapter provide s specific information f or training a nd checki ng stall
prevention (fo rmerly approach- to-stall), whi ch is r equired by 14 C FR part 121 a ppendices E
and F. Prevention t raining provide s pilots with the skills to recog nize conditions th at increase the
likelihood of a stall event if not eff ectively managed. Prevention t raining must in clude the
operato r’s st andard operating procedures (SOP) and CRM f or proper avoidance techniqu es and
threat mitig ation st rategies.
4-2. SIMULATOR T RAINING (§ 121.424 ). Training providers are encouraged to use the
highest level FFS available when developing their stall prevention a nd recovery training
curriculums. The primary emphasis is to p rovide the pilot with the most realistic environment
possible during impending stall training and checking . Simulator training can either be
maneuver -based or scenario -based; both methods are discussed in detail below.
NOTE: Instructors and check pilots must be familiar with the limitations of
a particular FSTD and ensure that all p ilots undergoi ng training and
check ing ar e aware of these limitations to mitigate negative transfer of
training.
a. Maneuver-Based Training. This t raining focuses on the mastery of an indi vidua l task
or tasks. M aneuver-based training applies to both prevention a nd recov ery training . It should
emphasize the development of the re quired perception and motor skills to s atisfacto rily
accomplish st all prevention a nd recov ery. Limite d empha sis should be placed on
decision -making skills du ring m aneuver-based training.
(1) Configurations. M aneuver-based training should inc lude impending stalls in the
following configurations required by part 121 a ppendix E, and § 121.424:
• Takeoff or maneuvering,
• Clean, a nd
• Landing.
(2) Conditions. Impending stalls in the above three configurations should be trained
using the following conditions, as appropriate:
(a) Level flight and tur ns using a bank angle of 15 to 30 de grees;
(b) Manual and autom ated (autopilot a nd/or autoth rottle/autothr ust, if installed)
flight;
NOTE: It may be difficult to use autothrottle/autothrust during
maneuver-based training, since the autothrottle/autothrust is usually
disconnected and thrust reduced to idle. However , it is important to teach
disconnect ing the autopilot and autothrottle/autothrust during stall
prevention training and, if the integration of th e autoflight systems permit it,
to develop scenarios with the autothrottle/autothrust engage d.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 4-2 Page 14 (c) Visu al and inst rument flight conditions ;
(d) High altitudes near the airplane’s maximum altitude a nd low altitud es within
500 feet above ground level (AGL) ; and
(e) Various w eights and C G locations within a irplane limita tions.
(3) Emphasis It ems. The following items should be empha sized dur ing
maneuver-based training:
(a) Recovery Procedures .
1. Reducing AOA is the proper way to recov er from a stall event. Pilots must
accept that reducing the airplane’s AOA will normally result in a ltitude loss. The amount of
altitude loss will be affected by the airplane’s ope rational environment (e.g., entry altitud e,
airplane weight, de nsity altitud e, bank angle, airplane configuration, etc.). At h igh altitud es, stall
recove ry will likely re quire losing several thous and feet.
2. Declare an emergency if necessary. Do not delay recovery due to degrading
airspeed or a stall event to obtain air traffic control (ATC) clearance to a lower altitude.
3. Understanding that early reco gnition a nd return of the airplane to a
controlled and safe state are the most impo rtant fac tors in su rviving stall events. Onl y after
recov ering to a s afe maneuvering speed and AOA should the pilot focus on e stablishing a n
assigned heading, altitud e, and airspeed.
4. An abrupt pitch- up or trim change can occur when the autopilot
unexpectedly disconnects during a stall event. This dramatic pitch- up or trim change typically
adds an unexpected physical challenge to the pilot when trying to reduce AOA. In some
airplanes, this may be aggravated by an additional pitch up when the pilot increases thrust during
stall recovery.
5. Secondary stall warnings are indicative of a pilot prioritiz ing minimum loss
of altitude over proper stall recovery or flight control inputs that are too aggress ive. In some
airplanes, depending on AOA representations, it may be difficult to determine the point where the pitch can begin to be increased and a moment ary secondary sta ll warning may be
encountered. A secondary stall warning is acceptable as long as AOA is promptly reduced and the airplane’s limitations are not exceeded.
6. Air carriers should develop stall prevention evaluation strategies that are a
direct reflection to the aircraft type. Between different aircraft types and variations of an aircraft
type there is a broad range of available airspeed/AOA/energy information to the pilot. Therefore ,
an evaluation of a stall prevention with an a ttitude direction indicator ( ADI) that has sufficient
information to determine the flight envelope ( pitch limit indicators, speed tape with low speed
awareness, airspeed trend needles) should be more stringent. Obviously with this expectation, the
assumpti on is made that the air carrier's stall training prepares the pilot to interpret this
information in low energy states. Conversely, a stall prevention evaluation of a pilot that has
limited flight envelope information could allow momentary reactivation s of the stall warning
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 4-2 Page 15 after the pilot has reduced the AOA to cease the stall warning and is attempting to return the
aircraft to safe flight.
(b) Factors L eading to a S tall E vent.
1. How c hanges to fact ors such as weight, G loa ding, CG, bank angle, altitude ,
and icing aff ect the handling characteristics and st all speeds of the airplane.
2. Inappropriate use or inadequate monitoring of autoflight modes can be a
contributing factor to a stall event. For example, climbing in vertical speed can lead to a stall
event when pilots do not notice the airspeed reducing as the altitude increases ; whereas , climbing
in modes such as indicated airspeed or flight level change can protect against unnoticed deceleration in a climb.
(c) Airplane -Specific K nowledge .
1. Impending stall characteristics for the specific airplane, including buffeting
of a severity that may make it difficult to read the instruments.
2. Review of AOA indicators (if installed) or interpretation of other
representations of AOA such as pitch- limit indicators or speed display symbology that can assist
in stall prevention.
3. Nois es associated with s tick sha kers, autopilot, and autothrottle/autot hrust
disconnect a larms can ca use c onfusion in the cockpit.
4. The effects of malfunctioning or deferred equipment on stall protection and
stick pusher systems.
(d) Altitude E ffects.
1. Differences between high and low altitude stalls, pitch rate sensitivity of
flight controls (due to lack of aerodynamic damping), and amount of altitude loss required for
recovery.
2. Thrust available for recovery, and lack of airflow through engines at high
AOA (reinforces reduction of AOA must precede any increase of thrust).
b. Scenario-Based Training (SBT) . The goal of SBT is to d evelop decision -making skills
relating to stall prevention and recov ery during Line-Oriented Flight Training (LOFT). Empha sis
should be placed on pr eventing conditions tha t may lead to a stall event. SB T would nor mally be
used after a pilot demonstrates proficiency in maneuver-based training and during advanced
stages of training , such as upgrade training and recurrent training.
(1) Scenarios. W hen possibl e, scenarios should inc lude accident, inc ident, A SAP,
FOQA, and/or ASRS data to pr ovide realistic oppor tunitie s to s ee how th reat situ ations m ay
develop and how the y should b e managed dur ing line operations. S ample SBT lesson pl ans ar e
provide d in Appe ndix 3.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 4-2 Page 16 (2) Briefing. Pilots should n ot nor mally be briefed t hat they are receiving SBT. The
concept is lin e-oriented flying, whi ch allows the pilots to recog nize and m anage the expected or
unexpected stall threats a s they develop dur ing normal operations. However, situations may arise
where pilots exhibit excellent stall prevention skills and initiate a recovery prior to the complete
unfolding of a scenario. That is the desired objective. In those instances, the instructor has the discretion whether to repeat the scenario and then showing and discussing how the many cues typically cascade as the event progresses. Such explanations can reinforce a pilot’s knowledge and allow sharpening of awareness and prevention skills.
4-3. USING SURPRISE IN TRAINING. Surprise has been a factor in stall incidents and
accidents. Although i t may be difficult to create surprise in the training environment, if achieved,
surprise events may provide a powerful lesson for the crew. The goal of using surprise in training is to provide the crew with a surprise experience to reinforce timely application of the effective recovery technique under potentially confusing circumstances. Considerable care should be used in surprise training to avoid a negative learning experience. Surprise should not be used during checking. Stall prevention training should incorporate event conditions and variables typical of
an unintentional stall that are likely to result in surprise due to the unexpected stall development, presentation, and behavior.
4-4. CHECKING PARAMETER S. The check pilot is responsible for establishing the flight
conditions a ssociated with the impending stall configuration be ing checked . The pilot ma y fly the
entry profile but is not be ing checked on the entry, except for recognition of the deteriorating flight
situation . The satisfacto ry compl etion of the event is b ased on t he pilot ’s timely and proper
recognition of the imp ending stall and then pr oper application of the st all recovery procedure .
4-5. CHECKING CRITERIA. Checking of prevention, recognition, and recovery from an
impending stall should be evaluated on the timely and proper response to the impending stall including effective use of available energy ; the criteria should not focus on altitude loss. The
check pilot should c onside r the variables present at the time of the impending stall and the ir
effect on the recovery. Checking cr iteria are:
• Prompt reco gnition of impending stall,
• Correc t application of the stall recove ry procedur e, and
• Recover ing without e xceeding the airplane’s limit ations.
NOTE: Training providers sh ould adjust their impending stall checking
criteria as appr opriate and train their check pilots in these changes. Th e
primary goal of checking should be to evaluate a pilot’s imme diate
recogn ition and response to an impending stall and their timely, correct
acco mplishment of the stall recove ry procedure.
4-6. REALISTIC S ETTIN GS FOR CHECKING . In the FFS , an imp ending stall checking
modul e should be m aneuver-based with a n entry altitude consist ent with no rmal operatin g
environments. The entry param eters, inc luding W eight and B alance (W&B) , should be within
airplane limita tions to e nsure adequate performance for recovery from a n impe nding stall.
During checki ng, the pilot should be checked on recovering from the impending st all.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 4-7 Page 17 (and 18) 4-7. DEBRIEFING. Debriefing pilots on their performance in both training and checking is
essential. Providing pilots with specific feedback on the recovery procedures including whether
recovery control inputs were excessive, insufficient, or had cyclic control reversals will assist
pilots in improving their r ecovery procedures and will also address the implications of G -load
differences in simulation. If the recovery exceeds the limitations of t he FSTD, instructors must
make the pilot aware to avoid negative transfer of training.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Par 5-1 Page 19 (and 20) CHAPTER 5. STALL RECOVE RY T RAINI NG
5-1. GENERAL . This c hapter provide s specific information f or training stall recove ry, which is
an inst ructor-guided, ha nds-on experience of applying the stall recov ery procedu re for a full sta ll.
Recove ry from a full sta ll, including stick pushe r activ ation, if equipped, is re quired by
§ 121.423, but is not checked.
5-2. FULL STALL TRAINING . Full sta ll training provide s pilots with the hands-on
experience of the airplane handling c haracteristics and cues (e.g., inc reased buffe t, reduced
stability and control, and roll off) near and at full sta ll. The focus of f ull st all training should be
maneuver ba sed. Scenario-based training is better reserved for assessing stall prevention skills . In
addition to providing the full sta ll experience, the followi ng empha sis items should be
highlighted by the instructor:
• Discussion of the objective of increasing the AOA beyond a n imp ending stall to
experience full sta ll characteristics, as these full stall characteristics may be
significantly different from those they experienced in flying lighter aircraft in their
primary training.
• Differences in flight cues and flight/control characteristics in full stall as compared to
cues in stall prevention training . If an aircraft exhibits more than one of the ways a full
stall is defined, these conditions should be trained.
• Proper recovery once full sta ll is id entified. If full sta ll is re presented by stick pushe r
activ ation, pilots must a llow the stick pushe r to act ivate before compl eting the recov ery.
5-3. FULL STALL TRAINING MANEUVER. Du ring training for full sta ll, the pilot ma y be
asked, for demonst ration pur poses, to call out some aural and vi sual indi cations of the impending
stall, but defer response until directed to recover, in or der to experience the aircraft’s handling
qualities in the full stall regime. Such training provides the pilot with an instr uctor-guided,
hands-on experience of recover ing from a full sta ll. Appendix 4 includes an example of Full Stall
Experience Training.
5-4. STICK PUSHER. For airplanes equippe d with a stick pusher , stall recov ery training
includes ground t raining and practic al training in an FFS . It is impo rtant for pilots to e xperience
the sudde n forward move ment of the control yoke/stick dur ing a stick pus her activ ation. F rom
observations, most instr uctors state that, regardless of previous a cademic training, pilots usua lly
resist the stick pushe r on th eir first encounter. Usually, they imme diately pull back on the control
yoke/stick rather than releasing pressure as they have been taught. The refore, pilots must rece ive
practical stic k pushe r training in an FFS to de velop the proper response (allowing the pusher to
reduce AOA) when confronted with a stick pushe r activ ation. S tick pushe r training should be
compl eted as a demonst ration/p ractic e exercis e, including repetitions, until the pilot ’s reaction is
to per mit the reduction in AOA e ven at low a ltitud es. Pilot response to a deliberate activation of
the pushe r is not a checked m aneuver.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Appendix 1
Page 1 APPENDIX 1. ST ALL RECOVE RY TEM PLATE
1. METHODOL OGY. Airplane manufacturers (Airbus, AT R, Boeing, Bombardier, and
Emb raer) provide d input for the creation of a stall recove ry template that provide s commona lity
among various a irplanes. The basic steps were identifying airplane differences (e .g., stick
pusher s, stick sha kers, turbojets versus tu rboprops, wing -mount ed engines, tail-mount ed engines,
fly-by-wire and non- fly-by-wire, etc.), finding the commona lities, and pr oceeding to find a
straightforward and effective stall recove ry template. In addition to pre senting the recov ery steps,
the template also p rovide s the rationale for each step of the procedur e to enable manufacturers to
better determine the applicabilit y to their specific airplane.
2. STALL RECOVE RY T EMPLATE. The stall recovery template developed with input from
the manufact urers is p rovided in T able 1, Stall Recovery Template (with A ssociated Rationale).
Althoug h the procedur es should a pply to the majority of toda y’s airplanes, manufactu rer
recomm ended procedures may deviate from Table 1 due to speci fic airplane characteristics.
Specific items, su ch as configuration c hanges (e.g., flaps extension) , that could be re quired at a
specific point dur ing the recov ery procedur e are not in cluded in the template, but will be
included in a specific procedu re for a particular airplane. Manufacturers are expected to de viate
from this te mplate if necessary due to airplane operating c haracteristics. For operators of
airplanes without a manufact urer stall recovery procedure , the FAA r ecommends using the stall
recove ry template as a reference when developing operator specific stall recovery procedur es.
NOTE: Reduction of AOA must be paramount in all stall prevention and
recovery procedures. Operators should consult with their airplane
manufacturer(s) to ensure they have the proper stall prevention and recovery
procedure. Outdated procedures should be updated in accordance with this guidance.
11/24/15 AC 120-109A
Appendix 1
Page 2 TABLE 1. STALL RE COVE RY TEMPLATE (WIT H ASSOCIATED RAT IONALE)
1 Autopilot and autothrottle/autothrust…………………… Disconnect
Rationale While maintaining the a ttitude of the airplane, disconnect the autopilot
and autothr ottle/a utoth rust. Ensure the pitch a ttitude does not increase
when disconnecting the autopilot. This may be very impo rtant in out of
trim situ ations. Manua l contr ol is e ssentia l to recov ery in a ll situ ations.
Leavin g the autopilot or autothr ottle/a utoth rust c onnected may re sult in
inadver tent changes or adjustme nts th at may not be easi ly recognized or
appropriate, e specially during high workloa d situ ations.
2 a) Nose down pitch cont rol……………..Apply until impending stall
indications are eliminated
b) Nose down pitch trim…….………………………..…….As Needed
Rationale a) Reducing the angle of attack is crucial for recovery. This will also
address autopilot-induced excessive nose up trim.
b) If the control column does not provide sufficient response, pitch trim may be necessary. However, excessive use of pitch trim may aggravate the condition, or may result in loss of control or high structural loads.
3 Bank…………………………………………………..……Wi ngs Level
Rationale This orients the lift vector for recovery.
4 Thrust…………………………………………….………….As Needed
Rationale During a stall recovery, maximum thrust is not always needed. A stall can occur at high thrust or at idle thrust. Therefore, the thrust is to be adjusted accordingly during the recovery. For airplanes with engines installed below the wing, applying maximum thrust may create a strong nose-up pitching moment if airspeed is low. For airplanes with engines mounted above the wings, thrust application creates a helpful pitch -down tendency.
For propeller-driven airplanes, thrust application increases the airflow around the wing, assisting in stall recovery.
5 Speed brakes/Spoilers……….…….…………………………..Retract
Rationale This will improve lift and stall margin.
6 Return to the desired flightpath.
Rationale Apply gentle action for recovery to avoid secondary stalls then return to desired flightpath.
11/24/15 AC 120-109A
Appendix 2
Page 1 APPEN DIX 2. SAMPLE DEM ONSTRAT IONS
1. Two d emonst rations w ere constructed using the philosophie s and concept s described in this
AC. The fir st is a n imp ending stall recovery with only idle thrust ava ilable tha t empha sizes the
need to re duce the A OA to recover from a st all. The s econd is a sti ck pusher demonst ration
(if equipped).
2. Training provider s are encouraged to develop additiona l demonst rations to f it their training
needs. The examples should be easi ly tailored to any t ranspor t category airplane. The exampl es
given are not intended to be limiting in any way. They are simp ly provided a s a frame work for
development of a tra ining curriculum.
DEM ONSTRAT ION 1: IMPEN DING STALL RE COVE RY WI TH ON LY IDL E
THRUST AVAI LABLE
OBJECTIVE The pilot will recover from an impending stall by reducing
the AOA without applying thrust. This demonstration is only intended to show that the airplawill return to controlled flight by simply reducing the AOIt does not show the pilot the complete procedure for recovering from an impending stall.
PHASIS AREAS • Crew coordination, and
• AOA management.
FFS SETUP This demonstration may be completed in any airplane
NSIDERATIONS configuration or any altitude that allows a recovery.
MONSTRATION • At level flight, reduce thrust to idle.
ELEMENTS • Increase AOA to achieve conditions for an impending st
without regard to holding altitude.
• At the impending stall, direct the crew to recover solely lowering the nose to reduce the AOA.
• The demonstration is performed with idle thrust.
COMPLETION The instructor will advise the pilot that the maneuver is
STANDARDS complete when the pilot understands the need to reduce
ne
A.
EM
CO
DE
all
by
AO
A for stall recovery.
11/24/15 AC 120-109A
Appendix 2
Page 2 DEM ONSTRAT ION 2: STICK PUSHE R DEMONSTRAT ION ( IF INSTALLED)
OBJECTIVE The pilot will allow the stick pusher to reduce the AOA and then
perform the correct recovery procedure without resisting the stick
pusher. The pilot understands that stick pusher activation must be relied upon and not overridden. In some airplanes, the stick pusher is an automated control input when the airplane approaches the critical AOA. If not resolved, the condition that activated the stick pusher will lead to an aerodynamic stall and pos sible loss of control. The
pilot should be able to perform the appropriate actions should a stick
pusher activation occur.
EMPHASIS AREAS •
•
• • • •
• Recognition.
Crew coordination.
AOA management: Allow the pusher to reduce the AOA. Audible and visual warnings (environment and airplane cueing). Effects of altitude on recovery. Demonstrate and re- emphasize all impending stall cues and remind
the pilot that in normal circumstances the pilot should recover if
any of these cues occur. For the purpose of this demonstration, these cues will be noted but not acted upon to experience the stick pusher activation.
Crewmember understanding for airplanes equipped with a stick
pusher, recommended recovery actions in response to stick pusher activation, including activation when in close proximity to the
ground or at cruise altitude.
FFS SET UP
CONSIDERATION This demonstration may be completed in any
or any altitude that allows for a recovery. airplane configuration
DEMONSTRATION
ELEMENTS •
•
•
• In level flight, reduce thrust to idle.
AOA should be increased to achieve the activation of the stick
pusher.
Review impending stall indications as they occur. Upon stick pusher activation, direct the crew to allow the pusher
activation and then initiate recovery procedure.
COMPLETION
STANDARDS •
•
•
• The pilot releases back pressure at pusher activation and allows it
to reduce the AOA.
Recovers to the maneuvering speed appropriate for the airplane’s
configuration without exceeding the airplane’s limitations. It is
probable that some loss of altitude will occur during the recovery.
The maneuver is considered complete once a safe speed is achieved and the airplane stabilized in level flight.
There is no predetermined value for altitude loss, and maintaining
altitude during recovery is not requi red.
11/24/15 AC 120-109A
Appendix 3
Page 1 APPEN DIX 3. SAMPLE T RAINING SCENA RIOS
Three scenarios were con structed using the philosophie s and concepts descr ibed in this AC . They
include cl ean configuration (high a ltitud e), takeoff, and landing configura tion imp ending stalls.
Training provider s are encouraged to develop addi tional scenar ios th at fit their training needs.
The examples should be easily tailored to any t ranspor t category airplane. The examples given
are not intended to be li miting in any way. They are provided a s a framework for developing a
training cu rriculum.
SCE NARIO 1: CLEAN CONFIGURAT ION ST ALL PREVENT ION ( HIGH ALTIT UDE)
INSTRUCTOR ROLE Implement scenarios that result in an unexpected impending stall
near the airplane’s maximum operating altitude.
OBJECTIVE The pilot will recognize the impending stall and immediately perform the stall recovery procedure. The pilot should demonstrate willingness to trade altitude for airspeed to accomplish an expeditious recovery.
EMPHASIS AREAS • Recognition and recovery.
• Crew coordination.
• AOA management.
• Out of trim control forces at autopilot disconnect (if engaged).
• Aural and visual warnings (environment and airplane cuing).
• Surprise.
• Reduced roll stability an d increased buffeting.
• Climbing at a slower than normal airspeed and higher than normal
vertical speed may result in leveling off at a speed below that
which can be maintained at the thrust available.
• The role of increasing temperature and turbulence on hi gh altitude
performance.
• Effects of multiple levels of automation.
• Effects of altitude on recovery.
• Knowledge of the aircraft’s high - and low-speed buffet
boundaries.
• Thrust available versus thrust required to maintain altitude.
• There is no predeter mined value for altitude loss, maintaining
altitude during recovery is not required, and the recovery will likely take several thousand feet.
• Situational awareness (SA) while returning to desired flightpath
after the stall recovery, including such items as heading, altitude,
other aircraft, and flight deck automation.
FFS SETUP
CONSIDERATIONS This scenario will be conducted near maximum operating altitude
for the specific airplane weight and temperature. Crew distractions
(e.g., minor malfunctions, air traffic control (ATC) instructions,
weather) and simulator capabilities may be used to induce
11/24/15 AC 120-109A
Appendix 3
Page 2 impending stalls. Scenarios from actual events, such as climbing in
vertical speed mode, which will result in the airplane leveling off at
an airspeed behind the pow er curve can also be used.
SCENARIO
ELEMENTS •
•
• At level flight with the autopilot on, introduce an event or reduce
thrust to less than adequate for maneuvering flight.
Upon recognizing the impending stall, perform the stall recovery
procedure.
The necessity for smooth, deliberate, and positive control inputs to
avoid excessive load factors and secondary stalls.
COMPLETION
STANDARDS •
•
•
•
• •
•
The pilot will perform a deliberate and smooth reduction of AOA.
Positive recovery from the stall event is paramount. There is no
predetermined value for altitude loss and maintaining altitude
during recovery is not required.
Appropriate application of thrust to accelerate and enable a
positive recovery.
Establishing the appropriate AOA takes precedence over roll
control (attempting to maintain wings level) for positive recovery
from the stall event.
Intermittent secondary stall warnings , but not secondary stalls,
may be acceptable due to the associated recovery challenges at altitude because of the lack of aerodynamic damping.
The maneuver is considered complete once a safe speed is
achieved and the airplane stabilized.
Satisfactory crew coordination must be demonstrated.
COMMON PILOT
ERRORS •
•
• •
•
•
• •
•
• Recovery is attempted with thrust instead of reducing AOA.
Not maintaining a nose down input until the impending stall cues
are eliminated.
Insufficient pitch down to allow desired energy conversion of altitude to airspeed.
Pilot fails to promptly recover from a secondary stall.
Reluctance to sacrifice significant altitude.
Pilot fails to distinguish between high speed buffet and low speed stall.
Pilot increases the load factor too quickly and gets multiple impending stalls or a stick pusher activation.
Inappropriate use of rudder.
Pilot prioritizes roll control (attempting to level the wings) before
reducing AOA.
Not disconnecting the autopilot and/or autothrottle/autothrust prior
to reducing AOA.
11/24/15 AC 120-109A
Appendix 3
Page 3 SCE NARIO 2: TAKE OFF CONFIGU RATION STALL PREVENT ION
INSTRUCTOR
ROLE Implement scenarios that result in an unexpected impending stall on
departure prior to flaps being fully retracted.
OBJECTIVE The pilot will recognize the impending stall and immediately perform
the stall recovery procedure, then resume the assigned departure.
EMPHASIS AREAS •
•
• •
•
• • • • •
• Recognition and recovery.
Crew coordination.
AOA management.
Out of trim control forces at autopilot disconnect (if engaged).
Aural and visual warnings (environment and airplane cueing).
Surprise.
Reduced roll stabil ity and increased buffeting.
Effects of multiple levels of automation.
Effects of altitude on recovery. SA while returning to desired flightpath after the stall recovery,
including such items as heading, terrain, altitude, other aircraft, and flight deck automation.
There is no predetermined value for altitude loss, and maintaining
altitude during recovery is not required.
FFS SETUP
CONSIDERATIONS The scenario will be conducted during takeoff and/or departure, at an
altitude that will allow for a recovery. Crew distractions (e.g., minor
malfunctions, ATC instructions, weather) and simulator capabilities
may be used to induce impending stalls.
SCENARIO
ELEMENTS •
•
• During departure, reduce thrust to less than adequate to maintain
airspeed and climb rate.
Upon r ecognizing the impending stall, perform the stall recovery
procedure.
When recovery is assured, adjust the pitch attitude to initiate a climb
to the assigned departure altitude.
COMPLETION
STANDARDS •
•
•
•
• •
The pilot will perform a deliberate and smooth reduction of AOA.
Positive recovery from the stall event takes precedence over
minimizing altitude loss or roll control (attempting to maintain wings
level before appropriate AOA is established).
Appropriate application of thrust to accelerate and enable an
expeditious recovery.
The return of the airplane to safe flight without encountering
secondary stall warnings.
The maneuver is considered complete once the flight reaches and stabilizes at the assigned departure altitude.
Satisfactory crew coordination mus t be demonstrated.
11/24/15 AC 120-109A
Appendix 3
Page 4 COMMON PILOT
ERRORS •
• Recovery is attempted with no loss of altitude.
Recovery is attempted without recognizing the importance of pitch
control and AOA.
• Pilot prioritizes roll control (attempting to level the wings) before
reducing AOA.
• Inappropriate use of rudder.
• Not disconnecting the autopilot and/or autothrottle/autothrust prior to reducing AOA.
• Not maintaining a nose down input until the impending stall cues are eliminated.
• Pilot increases the load factor too quickly and gets multiple impending stalls or a stick pusher activation.
• Rolling wings level prior to AOA reduction.
• Failure to roll wings level after AOA reduction to improve performance.
• Losing SA and failing to return to assigned flightpath or follow ATC
instructions after recovery.
SCE NARIO 3: LANDI NG CONFIGURAT ION ST ALL PREVENT ION
INSTRUCTOR Implement scenarios that result in an unexpected impending stall
ROLE during an approach.
OBJECTIVE The pilot will recognize the impending stall and immediately perform
the stall recovery procedure, then commence missed approach.
EMPHASIS AREAS • Recognition and recovery.
• Crew coordination.
• AOA management.
• Out of trim control forces at autopilot disconnect (if engaged).
• Aural and visual warnings (environment and airplane cueing).
• Surprise.
• Reduced roll stability and increased buffeting.
• Effects of multiple levels of automation.
• Effects of altitude on recovery.
• SA while returning to desired flightpath after the stall recovery,
including such items as heading, terrain, altitude, othe r aircraft, and
flight deck automation.
• There is no predetermined value for altitude loss. Maintaining altitude is not required.
FFS SETUP The scenario will be conducted during approach to landing in the
CONSIDERATIONS landing configuration, at an altitude that will allow for a recovery.
Crew distractions (e.g., minor malfunctions, ATC instructions, weather) and simulator capabilities may be used to induce impending stalls.
11/24/15 AC 120-109A
Appendix 3
Page 5 SCENARIO
ELEMENTS •
•
• At 1,000 feet above ground level (AGL), reduce thrust to be
inadequate to maintain a safe speed or descent angle, and results in
an increase in AOA to maintain glidepath.
Upon recognizing the impending stall, perform the stall recovery
procedure.
When reco very is assured, adjust the pitch attitude to initiate a climb
to comply with missed approach instructions.
COMPLETION
STANDARDS •
•
•
•
•
• The pilot will perform a deliberate and smooth reduction of AOA.
Positive recovery from the stall event takes precedence over
minimizing altitude loss or roll control (attempting to maintain
wings level before appropriate AOA is established).
Appropriate application of thrust to accelerate and enable an expeditious recovery.
The return of the airplane to safe flight without encountering
secondary stall warnings.
The maneuver is considered complete when safe speed has been achieved and the pilot initiates the missed approach.
Satisfactory crew coordination must be demonstrated.
COMMON PILOT
ERRORS •
•
•
•
• • •
•
•
• Recovery is attempted with no loss of altitude.
Recovery is attempted without recognizing the importance of pitch
control and AOA.
Inappropriate use of rudder.
Pilot prioritizes roll control (attempting to level the wings) before
reducing AOA .
Not disconnecting the autopilot and/or autothrottle/autothrust prior to reducing AOA.
Not maintaining a nose down input until the impending stall cues are eliminated.
Pilot increases the load factor too quickly and gets multiple
impending stalls or a stick pusher activation.
Rolling wings level pr ior AOA reduction.
Failure to roll wings level after AOA reduction to improve
performance.
Losing SA and failing to return to assigned flightpath and complete a missed approach, or follow ATC instructions after recovery.
Other suggested scenarios include:
1. After level -off from a descent with idle thrust, the pilot either forgets to increase thrust or on
airplanes equipped with autothrottle/autothrust, the autothrottle/autothrust does not increase
thrust.
2. While at low altitude and maneuvering, banking at slow speeds.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Appendix 3
Page 6 3. During approach, while slowing to approach speed, the pilot does not add flaps soon enough
or does not closely watch the energy trend.
4. The flight crew is instructed to climb to an altitude within the airplane’s certified flight envelo pe, but is not possible to maintain given the weight and temperature conditions.
11/24/15 AC 120-109A
Appendix 4
Page 1 APPEN DIX 4. SAMPLE FULL ST ALL T RAINING M ANEUVER
NOTE: Considerab le evaluat ion of the FFS mu st occur before conduct ing
full stall tr aining in si mulation. Ref erence A ppendix 5 for all FFS evaluation
considerations.
Training to f ull sta ll must be instructor led with a discussion of the l earning obj ectiv es. P articular
empha sis must be placed on the potentia l negative effects of t raining that traver ses imp endin g
stall conditions to reach a f ull sta ll.
The goals of the training are (a) to provide the pilots the exper ience of the handling
characteristics and dyna mic cues (e.g., bu ffet, rol l off) near and a t full sta ll and (b) to re inforc e
the proper appli cation of the st all recovery procedure s.
Future f ull sta ll FFS mode ls may contain a ra ndomne ss featu re that will a llow a pilot to
exper ience the in -flight var iations in f ull st all char acteristics. Th at is, no two real st alls are a like.
Performing this maneuver mo re than once, with perhaps instructor selection of st all response
sever ity, could show a pilot both aver age and ext reme response of a f ull sta ll.
This exa mple is not int ended to be limiting in any way , it is p rovided a s a frame work fo r
developing a t raining c urriculum.
NOTE: Reduction of AOA must be paramount in all stall prevention and
recovery procedures. Operators should consult with their airplane
manufacturer(s) to ensure they have the proper stall pre vention and recovery
procedure. Outdated procedures should be updated in accordance with this
guidance .
SCE NARIO: FULL STALL EXPE RIENCE TRAINI NG
INSTRUCTOR Instructor-guided, pilot hands-on maneuver training.
ROLE
OBJECTIVE Provide pilot(s) the experience of the airplane’s handling
characteristics near and at full stall, the related cues, and full stall recovery .
EMPHASIS AREAS • Recognition and recovery.
• Crew coordination.
• AOA management.
• Out of trim control forces at autopilot disconnect (if engaged).
• Aural and visual warnings (environment and airplane cueing).
• Reduction of roll stability and increased buffeting.
• Effects of multiple levels of automation.
• Effects of altitude on recovery.
11/24/15 AC 120-109A
Appendix 4
Page 2 •
• SA while returning to desired flightpath after the stall, including such
items as heading, terrain, altitude, other aircraft, and flight deck
automation.
There is no predetermined value for altitude loss. Maintaining
altitude is not required.
FFS SETUP
CONSIDERATIONS •
• This maneuver based training exercise must be conducted at an
altitude that will allow for a recovery.
Setup may be conducted on autoflight to allow for instructor- led
discussion of expected cues and cautions (if feasible).
SCENARIO
ELEMENTS •
• Create a situation which will result in a stall, such as reducing thrust
to less than adequate to maintain airspeed and climb rate or adjusting
flight path by varied means including changes to vertical rates, entering turn, etc., to yield an adverse energy trend.
Upon pilot recognition of the impending stall, the instructor will
encourage the further increase of AOA in order to reach full stall
while highlighting the impending stall cues.
COMPLETION
STANDARDS •
•
•
• •
• The pilot will perform a deliberate and smooth reduction of AOA.
Positive recovery from the full stall takes precedence over
minimizing altitude loss.
Appropriate application of thrust to accelerate and enable an
expeditious recovery.
The return of the airplan e to safe flight without encountering a
secondary stall.
The maneuver is considered complete once the flight reaches and
stabilizes at the assigned altitude.
Satisfactory crew coordination must be demonstrated.
COMMON PILOT
ERRORS •
•
•
•
• •
• Recovery is attempted with no loss of altitude.
Recovery is attempted without recognizing the importance of pitch
control and AOA.
Rolling wings level prior to AOA reduction.
Failure to roll wings level after AOA reduction to improve
performance.
Losing SA and failing to return to assigned flightpath or follow ATC instructions after recovery.
Inappropriate use of rudder. Not disconnecting the autopilot and/or autothrottle/autothrust prior to
reducing AOA.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Appendix 5
Page 1 APPENDIX 5. FFS CONSIDERAT IONS
1. SUMMARY O F SIMULATOR CAPAB ILITIES. Full Flight Simulators (FFS) that are
appropriately qualified by the FAA can be used for stall prevention training as described below.
Full stall training and stick pusher demonstrations will require additional FFS evaluation. The current 14 CFR part 60 flight simulation training device ( FSTD ) qualification standards only
include approaches to stalls as a minimum qualified task for FSTD levels A -D (see part 60
appendi x A, table A1B, section number 3b). As a result, any FSTD being used to conduct full
stall training tasks must be issued additional qualification to conduct these tasks as described in § 60.16. T raining provider s desiring to condu ct full sta ll training as part of an FAA-approved
flight training program are encouraged to r eview the National Simula tor Program’s (NSP)
guidance bull etin on e valuating an FFS for full sta ll training (F STD Guid ance Bulletin 14- 01,
FSTD Ev aluation Guide lines for Full Stall Training Maneuvers) and the contents of this
appendix before making a request for additional qualification. NSP guidance bulletins may be
found on the FAA’s Web site at www.faa.gov.
A. Stall P revention Training Maneuvers.
(1) To ensure a high level of FFS fidelity, stall prevention training maneuvers should be
conduc ted in c onditions simila r to obj ectively evaluated test conditions whe re possible
(e.g., airplane weight, environmental conditions, st all entry rates, etc.). Current objective testing
requirements for FFS qualification ar e for second segment climb a nd approach/l anding
conditions. The FSTDs Master Qualification T est Guide should be reviewed to a ssist in
determining maneuvers that are likely to ha ve a high level of fidelity. Since stall prevention
training will typically take place well within an angle of attack (AOA) range in which the
aerodynamic model has been objectively validated (and is a current FSTD qualification requirement in part 60 and previous grandfathered standards), it is not expected that si gnificant
modifications to the FSTDs will be required to conduct this training.
(2) For stall prevention t raining maneuvers that are not objectiv ely evaluated for FFS
qualification ( such as cruise/high altitude impending stall and tur ning flight impending stall), the
FSTD sponsor should c onduc t additiona l objective and subj ective evaluation to de termine
adequate FFS fidelity. This additiona l evaluation should inc lude:
(a) Objective evaluation of stall warning a nd st all buffet speeds a gainst publishe d
airplane data (such as Airplane Flight M anual (AFM) stall tables).
(b) An assessment of the FSTD’s stall characteristics by a subject matter expert
(SME) pilot with experience in the impending stall characteristics of the represented airplane .
B. Stall R ecovery T raining. For training to full sta ll, additiona l testing and va lidation of
the specific FFS is necessary because of the variations a mong FFS s. While some FFS s may have
the fidelity allowin g training past imp ending stall conditions, the potential of negative transfer of
training exists if simula ted flight in this r egime is not pr operly evaluated (through obj ective
testing and evaluation b y an SME pilot with e xperience in the stall characteristics of the
airplane). FSTD evaluation recommendations to support additional FSTD qualification for full
stall training tasks have been provided in an NSP guidance bulletin. The FAA is currently
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Appendix 5
Page 2 conducting rulemaking to codify FSTD evaluation requirements for full stall training tasks into
part 60.
C. Stick Pusher Demonstrations. FFS s may be used to de monst rate the activation of a
stick pushe r system (if installed); how ever, training providers are cautione d that the airplane
dynamics following a stick pushe r activation m ay not accur ately represent the airplane unless the
FFS is properly modeled and evaluated. To e nsure an adequate level of fidelity for stick pushe r
demonst rations, t raining pr ovider s should c onduc t additiona l testing and va lidation to e nsure that
the FFS ’s stick pushe r force compli es with the design requirements sp ecified by the m anufactu rer
to ensure that it accur ately represents the airplane, to inc lude:
(1) The stick pushe r activation speeds ( or associated AOAs ) should be obj ectiv ely
evaluated against publishe d airplane data (such as the AFM stall tables).
(2) The mode ling of the stick pushe r system or stall protection s ystem should be based
upon a irplane Original Equipm ent M anufactu rer (OEM) provide d simul ation da ta or othe r
suitable data to ensure correc t activation sp eeds/ AOAs and can cellation lo gic.
(3) The simula ted stick push er control forces and displ acem ents should be validated
against a irplane collected or OEM p rovide d validation da ta to ensure the FFS provide s the
correct control loading force cues.
(4) Since a stick pushe r demonstration m aneuver will typically occur at AOAs beyond
the activ ation of the stall warning system, the FFS should be evaluated for satisfactory
performance and ha ndling qualities by an appropriately qualified SME pilot.
2. BACK GROUND I NFORMATION. Currently, FSTD qu alification st andards are defined in
14 C FR part 60. P rior to par t 60, F STD qu alification st andards were defined in a series of
advisor y circulars (AC) . During the developm ent of this AC, current and histor ical F STD
qualification st andards were examined to determine if adequate evaluation re quirements were in
place to conduc t stall prevention and full sta ll training tasks in c urrently qualified FFSs. It was
determined tha t previously qualified FFSs may not be capable of condu cting training tasks to a
full sta ll. The primary factors for this d etermination ar e as follows:
A. Until recent ly, flight training requirements w ere limite d to impe nding stall maneuvers
as oppos ed to f ull sta ll ma neuvers. As a result, most c urrent FFS stall training does not extend to
AOAs much higher than tha t for an imp ending stall.
B. While much of the development of an FFS’s aerodynamic model at AOAs below the
stall AOAs can assume a certain extent of linearity in extrapolating p erformance and ha ndling
characteristics, this a ssumption is not va lid at, or past, full sta ll wh ere the a irplane dynamics and
control characteristics m ay become nonlinear or unstable.
C. To fully evaluate the nonlinear characteristics of a stall mod el, mo re test points in the
form of objective or subj ective tests are necessary to va lidate such mode ls.
11/24/15 AC 120- 109A
Appendix 5
Page 3 (and 4) 3. PART 60 CHA NGE. Through the collaborative efforts of various w orking g roups and
international committees, recomm ended modi fications to the FSTD qualification re quirements
(as defined in the par t 60 Qualification Performance Standards appendices) have been propos ed.
These recomm endations w ere formally presented to the FAA as part of the final report of the
Section 208 Avi ation R ulemaking Committe e. The recomm ended changes to part 60 inc lude
improved objective and subj ective FFS evaluation re quirements for stall training t asks, ups et
recov ery training tasks, a nd airborne icing simula tion. The Flight Simulation Training Device
Qualification Standards f or Extended Envelope and Adverse Weather Event Training Tasks
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for part 60 was published in July 2014. T he publi cation of a
final rule establishi ng the FFS qualification st andards for full sta ll is p rojected to be early 2016,
which is pr ior to the March 12, 2019 c ompli ance date for full sta ll training for part 121 pilots.
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