Practice stalls on your own?

Ok, so say you are post-solo and approved to perform stalls OR you are
a private pilot.

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

Or are stalls something you should only being doing for training?

I would like to hear from both pilots and instructors on your thinking
of this topic.

Also what percentage of you out there do practice them on your own?

Thanks

From a pilot: Why would you not practice stalls unless you are afraid
of them?
(If you are afraid of them, all the more reason to practice them.)
If you don't practice them and are afraid of them, how will you react
when you get into one "unexpectedly"?
If you practice them, you will understand how you can get into them and
respond appropriately in a timely manner.

wrote:
Ok, so say you are post-solo and approved to perform stalls OR you are
a private pilot.
Is it smart to go out and practice stalls on a normal basis? For
proficiency and for fun?
Or are stalls something you should only being doing for training?
I would like to hear from both pilots and instructors on your thinking
of this topic.
Also what percentage of you out there do practice them on your own?

jsmith wrote:
From a pilot: Why would you not practice stalls unless you are afraid
of them?
(If you are afraid of them, all the more reason to practice them.)
If you don't practice them and are afraid of them, how will you react
when you get into one "unexpectedly"?
If you practice them, you will understand how you can get into them and
respond appropriately in a timely manner.

And at that point, I know how one gets into a stall, I can avoid the stall, and
I don't need to practice them anymore.

George Patterson
"Naked" means you ain't got no clothes on; "nekkid" means you ain't got
no clothes on - and are up to somethin'.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, so say you are post-solo and approved to perform stalls OR you are
a private pilot.

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

Or are stalls something you should only being doing for training?

I would like to hear from both pilots and instructors on your thinking
of this topic.

Also what percentage of you out there do practice them on your own?
Also from a pilot:
I don't see a problem practicing stalls at teh appropriate altitude, I used
to do that all the time after getting my license, showing them just for fun
to my friends.
Just watch out for your passengers, some of them may have problems with the
stalls. keep a barf bag handy just in case (own experience).
But also make sure that the weight loading of the airplane is not
unfavorable, and that intentional stalls are approved in the airplane you
are flying.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, so say you are post-solo and approved to perform stalls OR you are
a private pilot.

What about commercial or ATP pilots? How about recreational or sport
pilots?

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

If you have some requirement to demonstrate stalls coming up, then I can see
a proficiency motivation. Other than that, I don't; generally, a stall is
something to avoid. I think it's more important to be proficient in
avoiding stalls, rather than in performing them. (I am, of course, assuming
normal every-day flying...for some kinds of flying, stalls are a critical
skill and should be second-nature).

If you want to do it for fun, I don't see anything wrong with that, though
of course you should only be practicing stalls solo when you have been
sufficiently trained in stalls in the aircraft you're flying. That should
be part of any new aircraft checkout anyway, so that requirement usually
would be met.

Or are stalls something you should only being doing for training?

IMHO, if done safely there's nothing wrong with doing stalls for whatever
reason you like. Of course, in some airplanes stalls are inherently unsafe.
But that's not a common situation.

As far as proficiency goes, I think that slow flight is a MUCH more useful
thing to practice. It's good to know how to stall an airplane, and to know
how a given airplane will react in a stall. But being able to control the
airplane, even when the airspeed is just above stall speed, and avoid
getting into a stall in the first place, is a much more useful skill to
have.

All that said, if you are already well-practiced in avoiding stalls and have
some practice bandwidth left over, certainly there's no harm in getting good
at recovering from stalls as well.

Pete

Peter, all ratings appy. I just didn't feel the need to list every
single one.

All good comments everybody.

Any instructors out there want to chime in?

As for passengers, I agree with most of you, let them know what to
expect and give them the option. I would never do a stall unknowingly
to a passenger or a passenger who doesn't want to see one.

On Tue, 24 May 2005 11:42:39 -0700, "Peter Duniho"
wrote:

wrote in message
roups.com...
Ok, so say you are post-solo and approved to perform stalls OR you are
a private pilot.

What about commercial or ATP pilots? How about recreational or sport
pilots?

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

If you have some requirement to demonstrate stalls coming up, then I can see
a proficiency motivation. Other than that, I don't; generally, a stall is
something to avoid. I think it's more important to be proficient in
avoiding stalls, rather than in performing them. (I am, of course, assuming

Never, ever make the mistake of thinking all stalls can be avoided.
They seldom happen, but they can and without the typical warning such
as clear air turbulence and wind shear. Both can hit without warning
and without being forecast. I've had three unintentional stalls in a
bit over 1300 hours.
One as a student in a 150 on final with an instructor along (un
forecast wind shear), one in a Cherokee 180 on final (again, wind
shear that was far beyond what was forecast) and once in the Deb in
level flight at 5500 just South of Toledo. I hit clear air
turbulence.

normal every-day flying...for some kinds of flying, stalls are a critical
skill and should be second-nature).

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Recently, posted:

Ok, so say you are post-solo and approved to perform stalls OR you are
a private pilot.

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

Or are stalls something you should only being doing for training?

I would like to hear from both pilots and instructors on your thinking
of this topic.

Also what percentage of you out there do practice them on your own?

Also from a private pilot;

You are expected to be proficient in executing stalls, and will very
likely be reviewed on them during your BFRs. All the more reason to keep
them up to snuff.

Neil

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

Ok, so say you are post-solo and approved to perform stalls OR you are
a private pilot.

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

Or are stalls something you should only being doing for training?

I would like to hear from both pilots and instructors on your thinking
of this topic.

Also what percentage of you out there do practice them on your own?

Thanks

Reading between the lines, it sounds as if you are somewhat apprehensive of
performing stalls. Once you have had sufficient training in this area,
that apprehension should be gone (if it is not, then you have not had
sufficient training).

If that is the case I would recommend intensive practice with a competent
instructor to the point where you lose your fear and no longer feel the
need to even ask this question.

Stalls are a fairly simple maneuver and should not present a cause for
concern.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

Ron: No fear of stalls here, I have done them myself and have even
taken a few hours of acrobatics including loops, rolls and spins.

I was just curious what the general outlook on doing them on purpose
was from the general pilot community and from the flight instructors on
here.