Stall recovery training

[PEI_3721]

In a downburst windshear the obvious objective close to the ground is to avoid hitting it!
For recovery at very low level without guidance, all of the aircraft’s excess energy should go into maximizing vertical performance without compromising control – turbulent situation. Thus, the technique of ‘respecting’ the stall warning; the airspeed is maintained at or just before the shaker (not flying continuously with the shaker on as the margin from a full stall is unknown).
As altitude increases (~ 500ft agl), then some energy can be used to leave the area by increasing speed.

Some windshear recovery guidance systems use this type of tradeoff, maximizing climb at low altitude, but commanding a higher speed as altitude increases. In some circumstances, during the approach, but generally at a reasonable altitude, the command could lower the nose to gain speed (increasing energy) before attempting to climb. This depends on aircraft type, configuration and energy capability.

An example of a successful unaided recovery – respecting the stall warning: Windshear Incident

The now ‘defunct’ ideas for recovery from stall warning / stall, involved muddled thinking; if the trainers did use aspects of the windshear recovery, then they forgot about the context of the event, particularly different altitudes and the range of excess energy that a particular aircraft might have. The crew might know the first, but perhaps not the second aspect.