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Old 15th Oct 2014, 21:26
  #65 (permalink)  
Armchairflyer
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Vienna
Age: 50
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@Kennyc

I don't think I need to worry about it clicking any time soon, stalling in a turn is now my number one fear and it'll always be there in the back of my mind at every turn. I am glad it has been discussed here so thanks to everyone for opening my eyes to the danger. Guess who's dreading their next turn now? And every one after that!
Being aware of the risk is great and potentially live-saving, being afraid is IMHO unnecessary. Unless you are rough and frantic on the controls (which is bad flying anyway), there is IMO virtually no risk that you will make a garden variety PPL plane suddenly drop into a deadly spin in a turn. Get your instructor to practice approaching this kind of situation at a safe altitude, you will probably see that flying the plane in such a way just feels wrong and awkward, well before there is a real risk of a stall with a wing drop, even if the stall warning were inoperative *wink wink nudge nudge*.

FWIW, I remember an occasion where I got a bit too slow on turning for base and finals (at our aerodrome, this is just one continuous turn, as there is no rectangular pattern). Even before the stall warning kicked in (it never did) the soft und mushy feeling of the controls was enough to tell me that something was amiss. Stick slightly forward, a trifle of power to check the rate of descent, and all was fine again. Just never yank the stick/yoke back in panic when you feel uneasy in a turn at low airspeed, and you should be OK.

Edit: I suppose someone already recommended you go and get (and read) a copy of "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Langewiesche?
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