Chair flying / Power-On Stall
Power-On Stall
Recognize and recover from a stall in a takeoff/departure configuration: a high pitch attitude at full power, then a prompt recovery with reduced angle of attack and coordinated rudder.
Pre-Maneuver Checklist (CRAAC)
- Clearing turns — two 90° turns or one 180° turn; look for traffic
- Reference point — select a visual reference and set the heading bug
- Altitude — high enough to complete the maneuver at or above 1,500 ft AGLACS minimums: slow flight and stall recovery complete ≥1,500 ft AGL; ground reference maneuvers enter at 600–1,000 ft AGL.
- Airspeed — at or below Va (105 @ 2,325 lb / 90 @ 1,900 lb kt)
- Configuration — fuel pump ON, lights ON, mixture RICH, flaps as needed
Setup
- Clean configuration flowClean configuration flow: electric fuel pump ON · fuel selector proper tank · mixture full rich · flaps 0.
- Slow to 70 kt (a departure/lift-off speed)
Execution
- Simultaneously raise the nose smoothly and apply full power
- Continue increasing pitch to 18–20° to induce the stall; hold right rudderFull power at high pitch produces strong left-turning tendencies (torque, P-factor, spiraling slipstream) — lead with right rudder to stay coordinated.
Recovery
- At the first indication / full stall: reduce AOA, level the wings, keep max power“Stall — recover”
- Accelerate to Vx or Vy as appropriate
- Continue the climb at Vy (76 kt)
ACS tolerances
- Airspeed ±10 kt
- Heading ±10°
- Minimal altitude loss, no secondary stall
Common errors
- Not enough right rudder — yaw and roll toward a spin entry
- Recovering before the stall develops
- Pushing the nose too far down and losing excess altitude