TrikeCFI

Call to Action. Adding Spiral recovery Tasks to the Practical Test Standards (PTS).: Revision

Last updated by TrikeCFI

Categories: Training / Learning to Fly a Trike, Safety

Intentional or unintentional spiral dives have caused a number of fatalities throughout the world. Therefore,  I have decided to pursue getting spiral dive recovery into the Practical Test Standards (PTS) so all new pilots and CFI's will start training for this important maneuver in the US and hopefully worldwide. Additionally, this will also emphasize the importance of this important safety concept for pilots and instructors while performing a flight review required for all pilots ever 24 months in the USA. If we are successful with this, we can make spiral training visible and available to all pilots in the US within 24 to 30 months.

I have contacted the FAA and discussed this addition to the PTS so here is my plan based on this conversation. It is more than likely we can achieve this so I am asking others for input to this important evolution in trike safety. All input is appreciated.

There are two specific topics that need to be achieved to accomplish this:.

1. Justification for addition to PTS

2. What specifically to test for in the PTS which will be the basis of training for spiral dive recovery.

Before we get to the specifics, let's look at the closest item in the PTS that would relate to this subject.

The PTS is located at www.faa.gov/ training_testing/ testing/ test_standards/ media/ FAA-S-8081-31.pdf or you can purchase a paper copy at http://www.pilot-stores.com/asa-practical-test-standards-sport-pilot/

In the PTS Power Off Stall Task, the turning stall task is made to simulate the base to final turn and specifies a maximum 20 degree banked stall to represent this base to final scenario with no more than a +/- 10 degree variation. Hopefully this maneuver is thought by instructors to cover this base to final stall/spiral avoidance as a starting point to avoid this situation altogether in the first place. Typically the inside wing falls and the recovery is the same as a spiral recovery - reduce angle of attack (AOA) while leveling the wing, EXCEPT, repeat EXCEPT, you add throttle to recover at a slow speed and bank angle below 45 degrees  RATHER  than let off the throttle to recover in a spiral dive when the nose is pointed down. Significantly different recovery methods based on the bank angle.

Back to the JUSTICICATION before we get to the specifics of the spiral recovery maneuver.  I can easily write a paragraph describing the problem but specific instances involving pilots in accidents is important to make this happen. I will put this into another blog/article to keep it separate and on track since this may create some discussion on this topic. Here we will focus on the specifics of the PTS task here.

Where should this be in the PTS as a task? Well it can be either in the Slow Flight and Stalls Area after the whip stall and tumble awareness OR in the Emergency Operations Area. The Slow Flight and Stalls Area is similar to the tuck tumble task for WSC/trikes and similar to the Spin Awareness for the Airplane Task which is in the slow flight and stalls for airplane. The Emergency procedures is appropriate since it is an Emergency recovery procedure. Ideas and input as to where the appropriate place in the PTS are appreciated from CFI's and DPE's.

The problem is how I teach this is not easily replicated for student to practice nor testing during a checkride. I now teach this with a two step process:

1. Get into a very high 60 degree bank and recover from there. Nose falls and the recovery procedure is initiated by simultaneously decreasing angle of attack, level wings and reduce throttle. Additionally at a very high bank angle, push out to demonstrate the stall and how this will initiate a spiral as the wing drops and things get worse. Again, the recovery procedure is initiated by simultaneously decreasing angle of attack, level wings and reduce throttle.

2. Get into a steep bank angle (example 45 degree bank performance maneuver) and bumping the bar to a higher bank angle as if there was some event that put the student into a very high bank angle (example 60 degrees) unable to maintain altitude at full throttle. Nose falls and the recovery procedure is initiated by simultaneously decreasing angle of attack, leveling wings and reducing throttle.

There may be a difference of opinion of exactly the sequence among flight instructors, but  I teach a simultaneous pitch/roll/throttle where a sequence 1,2,3 can also be utilized for specific wing/trike situations. The PTS tasks needs to be open enough to accomplish either method depending on the specific trike/wing.

So how do we provide a recovery technique to initiate and recognize a spiral that can be thought by CFI's and practiced by the student on their own.

Here is my first cut at this in the PTS to accomplish this task. The objective is to obtain input before I submit this to the FAA to have it incorporated into the PTS.  Here is a first cut at the two tasks as a starting point:

TASK: POWER ON SPIRAL RECOVERY (WSCL and WSCS)

REFERENCES: FAA-H-8083-5; Aircraft Flight Manual(AFM)/POH/AOI,  .

Objective. To determine that the applicant:

1. Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to power on spiral recovery.

2. Selects an entry altitude that allows the task to be completed no lower than 1,000 feet AGL (Typically this would be at least 2000 AGL).

3. Establishes a high banked minimum 45 degree turn maintaining altitude at 1.6 Vs  as specified by the examiner. Applicant simulates unintentional spiral by bumping to higher bank angle not to exceed 60 degrees and nose down attitude 30 degrees. Transitions smoothly and immediately from nose down high banked turn to level flight with 0 to 30 degrees bank angle.

4. Minimizes altitude loss, with no high pitch angle recovery, with immediate correction to new heading with no more than 180°correction in direction from simulated spiral initiated heading.

5. Recognizes and recovers promptly after the spiral is initiated  by reducing the angle of attack , leveling the wing and reducing throttle to return to a straight-and-level flight attitude with a minimum loss of altitude appropriate for the specific weight-shift control aircraft.

6. Returns to the altitude, heading, and airspeed specified by the examiner.

 

 

Y. TASK: POWER OFF SPIRAL DIVE (WSCL and WSCS)

REFERENCES: FAA-H-8083-5; Aircraft Flight Manual(AFM)/POH/AOI,  .

Objective. To determine that the applicant:

1. Exhibits knowledge of the elements related to power off spiral recovery.

2. Selects an entry altitude that allows the task to be completed no lower than 1,000 feet AGL.

3. Reduces throttle and establishes a high banked minimum 45 degree descending turn at 1.6 Vs  as specified by the examiner. Applicant simulates unintentional spiral by bumping to higher bank angle not to exceed 60 degrees and nose down attitude 30 degrees. Transitions smoothly and immediately from nose down high banked turn to level flight with 0 to 30 degrees bank angle.

4. Minimizes altitude loss , with immediate correction to new heading with no more than 180°correction in direction from simulated spiral heading.

5. Recognizes and recovers promptly after the unintentional spiral is initiated  by simultaneously reducing the angle of attack, leveling the wing and increasing throttle as appropriate to return to a straight-and-level flight attitude with a minimum loss of altitude appropriate for the weight shift control aircraft.

6. Returns to the altitude, heading, and airspeed specified by the examiner.