PLT245: Stalls and Spins
What code PLT245 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Stalls and Spins before your checkride.
Recall forces acting on aircraft - stalls / spins
What this means for your checkride
A stall is the loss of lift when the wing passes its critical angle of attack. A spin is an aggravated stall with one wing more stalled than the other, producing autorotation; recovery follows a set sequence of power idle, ailerons neutral, opposite rudder, then elevator.
Stall and spin awareness is central to preventing loss of control, so the FAA tests the aerodynamics of both and the standard recovery.
A dangerous myth is that a coordinated stall will spin. A spin needs yaw at the point of stall, which is why coordination and angle of attack matter more than airspeed alone.
Where to study it
Practice questions on this code
Real questions from the Aviator IQ bank that test this exact area. Answer each to see the correct choice, the full rationale, and the FAA source.
By definition, a spin is best described as which of the following?
While an airplane is in a stabilized spin, the airspeed is typically:
Oral checkride defense
A code on your report is an area the examiner can revisit. Here is how an examiner might probe it, and how to explain it out loud.
Define a spin and what is required to enter one.
A spin is an aggravated stall in which the airplane descends in a helical, corkscrew path with one wing more stalled than the other. It requires both a stall and yaw, which is why an uncoordinated, cross-controlled stall, like a skidding base-to-final turn, can drop into a spin.
How do you recover from a spin?
Use the standard method, often taught as PARE: Power idle, Ailerons neutral, Rudder full opposite the rotation, then Elevator briskly forward to break the stall. Once rotation stops, neutralize the rudder and recover from the dive. Flying coordinated is what prevents the spin in the first place.
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.