Practice stalls on your own?

Cub Driver wrote:
On 24 May 2005 10:51:42 -0700, wrote:


Is it smart to go out and practice stalls on a normal basis? For
proficiency and for fun?


Gosh, I think it's dumb not to!

The first thing I do when I have had a lay-off (which generally means
every March, except that this year the lay-off ended in April) is to
out over some scraggly fields a few miles west of the airport, climb
up to 4,000 ft, and do slow flight and power-off and power-on
(climbing) stalls.

Gives me a feel for the airplane. I would do the same every time I
found myself in a new (strange) airplane.

I've transitioned to several different aircraft types and in each case I
always went up and practiced stalls in the airplane ASAP after being
signed off for solo. I even did them in my weight-shift..

My current plane, a Kolb Firestar, has its own behavior that is
important for me to be familiar with. In particular, it is somewhat
easier than other planes I've flown to get into a secondary stall when
recoving from the first stall (power-off). The airspeed recovers nicely,
but the AOA can go again past critical easily without the right
technique, especially power off.....

So, in my small experience, regular practice with stalls is really
necessary for me to keep current with my airplane....

My next project in this plane is cross-controlled stalls, which I'll
probably start practicing this evening......

LS
N646F


-- all the best, Dan Ford

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