Originally Posted by
Rivet gun
The course requirements are covered at Part-FCL 745.A and AMC.
This states the course should:
"be delivered in a suitable training aircraft in order to expose trainees to conditions that cannot be replicated in an FSTD;"
Which is a vague bit of EASA rule making that does not explicitly require an aerobatic aircraft. However the course requires:
"exercises to demonstrate... the physiological effects of different g-loads between -1 and 2.5G"
It is hard to see how -1 g can be properly demonstrated in a non aerobatic aircraft. Also this exercise needs a g meter which are not usually fitted to non aerobatic aircraft (though one could be fitted)
The course further requires:
"training in techniques to recover from:
(i) nose high at various bank angles;
(ii) nose low at various bank angles"
Another vague bit of EASA rule making that does not explicitly state what range of bank angles. However a good AUPRT course will include how to recover from bank angles beyond 90 deg. This requires an aerobatic cat aircraft.
(There are many cases of transport aircraft that have experienced upsets in excess of 90 deg bank including a Japanese operated Boeing 737 in 2014 which rolled to more than 131 deg bank)
Some ATOs in Europe may offer the AUPRT course on non aerobatic aircraft such as the Pipistrel Virus which is certified to CS-LSA and hence restricted to not more than 60 deg bank.
I find this an interesting discussion. I agree that an aerobatic aircraft is optimal but it is not necessary for the AUPRT course excercises, you could easily fly FCL.745.A in a 172, and most certainly the things you just mentioned. Good instructor = good course.
For the run of the mill student who never flew beyond a stall; I don't think that e.g. an E330LX is of any great benefit, as they most likely won't be able to use/appreciate its properties. The exposure to upset positions, varying g-loads and recovery is probably already saturating enough for the mind and stomach. Most auprt courses also do some aero's to kill time, as you can finish the syllabus in <3h block. Things such as loops, slow rolls, cubans etc. are all nice and fun but very expensive at the hour rate of an auprt course :-). Ofcourse a 172 also has downsides in upsets recovery training, such as its high positive stability, i.e. it wants to recover.
So I'd suggest to take those things into consideration when picking an auprt provider and that
depending on yourself a 172 might even be perfectly fine.