Another devastating tragedy caused by a stall was recorded in 2014 when an AirAsia plane carrying over 160 passengers to Singapore from Indonesia crashed into the Java Sea just after climbing to avoid storm clouds.

Reportedly, a malfunction caused repeated alerts to the pilots. They responded with a system reset that resulted in the autopilot disengaging. Consequently, the aircraft veered to the left. Even though the crew struggled to right the plane, it stalled and crashed.

Similarly, West Caribbean Airlines' McDonnell Douglas MD-82 also crashed following a stall, taking the lives of all occupants. Regardless of who was responsible for these and numerous other unfortunate incidents, there's no denying that the tragedies were recorded as the vilest air catastrophes in aviation history.

The Air Safety Institute reveals unintended stalls are still among the leading causes of fatal accidents. Proper knowledge, training, and practice on how to prevent aircraft stalls can decrease the likelihood of you becoming a statistic.

Knowing the conditions and situations to watch out for, proactively assessing and addressing warning signs, and reviewing procedures for stall recovery can be helpful. But practicing in a realistic AATD simulator alongside supportive FAA-qualified instructors allows for benefiting from muscle memory that enables pilots to react to stalls instinctually.

Before delving further into the details, let's go back to the basics to explore what they are and how to prevent aircraft stalls.

What are Aircraft Stalls?

Not to be confused with automobile stalls, aircraft stalls refer to an aerodynamic scenario where the plane loses control and altitude. Contrary to popular belief, stalls are not caused by speed loss. In fact, the speed doesn’t have anything to do with stalls. Technically, an aviator can stall at any speed.

Stalls in aviation mean the amount of lift the wings produce may no longer be enough to keep the aircraft flying. Lift gets created by air flowing over the leading edge of the wing, pulling the following wing edge downward. The force generates an opposite and equal upward force known as lift.

The lift amount generation typically depends on the Angle of Attack (AOA). It refers to the angle between the cord line and the relative wind or direction of the plane's motion. The lift increases as the AOA increases up to a certain point.

When the angle is too pronounced, pilots approach the critical AOA or stall AOA. The former varies by situation and airplane. It's the angle at which the airflow over the top of the wing is no longer smooth along it. The airflow separating from the wing causes it to burble and reduce the lift coefficient to a level that's unstainable. Meeting or exceeding the critical AOA means you'll find yourself in a stall.

Load, weight, speed, altitude, turn, and other factors also come into play. The critical AOA typically varies depending on a combination of all factors. Although all lifts are defined the same, there are different types of stalls with specific causes and recovery procedures.

These include a Power-On stall, Power-Off stall, and Accelerated or Dynamic Stall, among others. Acquainting yourself enough to recognize, recover, or prevent them can mean the difference between life and death.

Train and rehearse stall recovery and other piloting skills under experienced instructors who combine the power of in-class knowledge with practical learning in an advanced simulator that reflects the systems and environment of the Canadair Regional Jet 550, 700, and crj 700 training.

Impress your employers with the smoothest transition when you fly a regional aviator as a first officer by developing your muscle memory surrounding various protocols involved in smooth and safe operations.

You can develop a hands-on understanding and feel for the aircraft dynamics concerning many real-world scenarios to learn how to navigate standard and emergency situations up in the skies.

Join our 1-day, 3-day, or 5-day flight safety simulator training now to enhance and maintain proficiency in the basic of flight so you can enjoy a more stress-free and safer flying experience. More information is just a call away!