Articles on Upset Recovery Training Principles

Excerpt from AF447 Update Report: "The airplane’s angle of attack increased progressively beyond 10 degrees and the plane started to climb. The PF made nose-down control inputs and alternately left and right roll inputs. The vertical speed, which had reached 7,000 ft/min, dropped to 700 ft/min and the roll varied between 12 degrees right and

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Atlanta, Georgia – (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) – CAE and APS Emergency Maneuver Training announced on the eve of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) annual convention, the availability of an online computer-based training course designed to improve the ability of business jet pilots to recognize, avoid and, if necessary, recover from loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) flight situations.

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In the meantime, please enjoy the excerpt of this article below ...

How exactly do you put your finger on the single most important aerodynamic component or practice related to upset recovery training? That’s a tough question and, quite honestly, the answer varies depending upon the situation being addressed. As opposed to picking “one” aerodynamic component as “the” critical factor in upset recoveries, a thorough discussion of recovery techniques must focus on the order in which control loss issues are addressed for a generalized recovery to be effective in a wide variety of instances. In Figure 1, the All-Attitude Upset Recovery checklist developed by APS Emergency Maneuver Training addresses the mental processes and order in which a loss of control situation should be managed by the pilot.

Figure 1: All-Attitude Upset Recovery Checklist

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In this article we are going to focus on the first action step “PUSH” of the recovery and the critical importance of Angle of Attack Management as a top priority in a generalized recovery philosophy.

There really are only five major aspects of flight that pilots have direct control over while airborne in a time-critical upset emergency flight condition. They are (in no particular order):

1. Pitch
2. Roll
3. Yaw
4. Power, and
5. Configuration

Although a seemingly simple list of items to be managed, not only are they usually mismanaged in an emergency unusual attitude scenario, but they are also typically addressed in the wrong order and in the opposite direction assuming the ultimate goal is an effective, efficient and successful recovery. This is why when you’re reading articles on stall/spin, unusual attitude or upset recovery training techniques, you’ll hear the author state time and again that the recovery is counter-intuitive ... Continued in the APS Members-Only Area.

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Developing pilot skills to recover from an in-flight upset or loss of control flight condition is of little value if you can't recall those skills when needed. The Say & Do Technique discussed briefly in this article deals directly with the technology of forcing a consciously competent response in a high-pressure upset scenario. Unfortunately, the counter-intuitive nature of the stall/spin and over-bank flight conditions can be intimidating and even incapacitating which makes this a challenging process the first few times you try. The more experience you have in this environment under the tutelage of expert flight instructors while applying effective recovery techniques and technologies, the less threatening these scenarios become. Immediately as we gain experience in this environment, our ability to understand and recognize developing risk factors related to angle of attack, bank, pitch and yaw excursions greatly improves our effectiveness in avoiding a threatening flight condition before it can develop into something deadly.

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Back in January of 2002 I wrote an article titled, “Extra Maneuver Training.” In that article I lamented the minimal training on spins and upset recoveries received by student pilots and even instructors. Because of this, stall/spin accidents are responsible for about 25 percent of fatal general aviation accidents, and about 20 percent of those occur during dual instructional flight with an FAA-certified flight instructor on board. I also described the Emergency Maneuver Training (EMT) program available from Aviation Performance Solutions (APS), located at Williams Gateway Airport (IWA) in Mesa, Arizona.

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CAUTION WAKE TURBULENCE FAA Advisory Circular, AC-90-23E, “Caution Wake Turbulence.” is presented immediately following the APS Training Video clip below. Please take a moment to read the video's introductory comments and provide feedback to APS. Let's learn together! This Article is Presented by: Mike "Smo" Smothermon Director of APS Flight Training 20 Years USAF:

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Loss of Control in Flight usually follows an aircraft upset or unusual attitude caused by factors such as pilot distraction, wake turbulence, wind shear, icing, mechanical failure, etc. Unfortunately, when it happens, a pilot who has not been properly trained is usually ill prepared to cope effectively with such an event. An ALPA spokesman provided AW&ST with the following working definition of loss of control in flight: "if you can no longer get the wings level, or don't get the wings level." The airlines generally regard an aircraft upset condition as "more than 45 degrees of bank, 25 degrees nose up, or 10 degrees nose down". These are reasonable parameters, given the maneuvering limitations of an airliner.

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Because of our longstanding relationship with Master Aerobatic Instructor Rich Stowell, only APS is to bring to you the first published excerpt from Rich’s upcoming new book entitled, The Light Airplane Pilot’s Guide to STALL/SPIN AWARENESS. Please review this article and participate in our survey for a special APS newsletter member offer.

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The pilot flew a GPS Rwy 35, circle-to-land runway 17 approach during night instrument meteorological conditions. A witness reported that the airplane's downwind leg was two to three times closer to the runway than normal. The airplane's turn radius to final approach was also much smaller than normal, and the turn was relatively "flat". The airplane appeared to be traveling at a relatively slow airspeed during the approach, and engine rpm did not increase during the turn.

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Have you ever been upside down in an airplane? There are those of us who intentionally fly aerobatic-type maneuvers for fun, profit, fulfillment of the competitive spirit, and even to defend our country. As an instructor teaching emergency maneuver, unusual attitude and aerobatic training to other pilots, I see the benefits of such training daily.

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Upright or Inverted Consolidating, simplifying and prioritizing the rudimentary spin recovery actions yields the general, spin recovery procedure. The preferred rudder-then-elevator sequence is included as well. As listed, the procedure is designed to achieve optimum anti-spin effect and is consistent with recommendations based on years of detailed spin research (the bold quotations indicate the verbal

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It is with all due respect to AOPA as an organization that I offer the following critique of the newly released stall/spin study. The intent is to reinforce the valid points, clarify the ambiguous ones, debunk the persistent stall/spin myths, and in the end, help to expand our understanding of the stall/spin accident picture so that pilots can take logical, informed steps to improve their stall/spin awareness.

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One of the most frequently asked questions from pilots considering APS’s Emergency Maneuver Training Course is, “How can training in a high-performance aerobatic aircraft like the Extra 300L benefit me when I fly my aircraft?” The pilot’s concerns are valid. They are perhaps aware the Extra 300L (or similar aircraft) has a phenomenal roll rate and G capability, that it has a stick versus a yoke, and there are undoubtedly other noteworthy differences. How, then, can training in the Extra 300L possibly benefit the pilot of a Cessna or other general aviation aircraft? What about pilots of corporate or airline aircraft? Before we get to the advantages of an Emergency Maneuver Training Program in an aerobatic aircraft, I’ll mention the limitations.

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