Actually, that is exactly what I am practicing. When I look at how much
work and intent is required to stall a 172 I can't imagine doing it
accidentally. What I can easily see happening is letting speed get too low
while close to the ground and suddenly discovering that I have to tiptoe out
of the situation without dropping the nose while possibly maintaining some
directional control due to surrounding terrain.

The slow transition into the mush without using speed to zoom up slightly
into a more nose high attitude and shoving on the throttle and yoke at the
break provides much more time to experience the way the plane feels just
before the sink starts. Maintaining control in the sink is handling it at
the absolute minimum controllable airspeed. Riding the sink down engrains
the feel so that you are more likely to recognize it in time. Actually,
what it shows you is that you could easily not notice the sink and better be
paying attention during slow flight. There is much less buffet once the
mush starts and less in the transition to the mush than in the textbook
practice stall. If you were looking at a nude beach, you could easily miss
it

Transitioning out of the mush gracefully, perhaps with a direction change at
the same time, is the best part. Try arresting the descent and then
transitioning in and out of the mush.

This may be a 172 characteristic and I would only do it in a plane I knew to
break cleanly without wing drop. I don't think I would try it at my 200
hours in a 150 or 152 which will flip over much more readily in this flight
regime.
--
Roger Long

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


Roger Long wrote:

I prefer doing long controlled mush descents instead of classic stalls
because it provides more of the really valuable part of the stall
practice,

That would be true if you want to practice stalls. I prefer to practice
*recovery*
from a stall, or, better yet, stall *avoidance*.

George Patterson
If you don't tell lies, you never have to remember what you said.