Definition
An FAA Advisory Circular titled 'Upset Prevention and Recovery Training' that provides guidance on the academic content, flight training, and instructor qualifications recommended for teaching pilots how to recognize, avoid, and recover from airplane upsets.
Plain English
An FAA guidance document that explains how pilots should be trained to handle situations where the airplane ends up in an unusual or out-of-control attitude, and how to get it back to normal flight safely.
Context Anchor
You may see AC 120-111 cited in FAA training material, especially in discussions of upset prevention and recovery training.
Derivation
Advisory Circular' is the FAA's term for a non-regulatory guidance document. The number identifies the specific publication: the '120' series covers air carrier operations and training. So 'AC 120-111' is simply the catalog number of the FAA's official guidance on upset training.
Why Pilots Care
Following the training standards in this circular improves a pilot's ability to recognize and recover from loss-of-control situations, directly reducing accident risk.
Intuition Check
Do not read “AC” here as aircraft air conditioning or electrical alternating current. In this context, AC means Advisory Circular, an FAA guidance document.
Example Sentence 1
The flight school built its upset prevention and recovery training course around the recommendations in AC 120-111.
Example Sentence 2
Airlines develop their upset prevention programs in accordance with the recommendations found in AC 120-111.