Definition
A practice maneuver in which the pilot induces a stall with the engine at idle and the airplane held in coordinated, wings-level flight along a constant heading. The configuration simulates a typical approach-to-landing condition: throttle reduced, descent established, then back pressure applied to raise the nose and slow the airplane until the wing reaches its critical angle of attack and stalls. Recovery is initiated at the first indication of the stall, or at the full stall, depending on the training task.
Plain English
A training stall done with the engine at idle and the wings level, flying straight, to mimic what a stall would feel like during a normal landing approach. The pilot slows the airplane down with the nose up until it stalls, then recovers.
Context Anchor
Seen in stall training, especially when practicing stalls that can occur during descent or approach to landing.
Derivation
“Stall” comes from an older sense meaning to stop or come to a standstill. In aviation, the important “stop” is not the engine stopping; it is the wing’s smooth lifting airflow breaking down after the wing is tilted too steeply into the air.
Why Pilots Care
It teaches safe recovery from a stall that occurs with no engine power, such as during an engine-failure glide.
Grounding Statement
Picture the airplane slowed down, power reduced, wings level, and nose gradually raised until the wing quits lifting normally.
Intuition Check
“Power-off” does not mean the aircraft’s electrical system is off or that the engine has failed; here it means engine power is reduced to idle or near idle. “Stall” does not mean the engine stops; it means the wing stops producing smooth, normal lift.
Example Sentence 1
During the lesson, the instructor demonstrated a power-off straight-ahead stall to show what an inadvertent stall on final approach would feel like.
Example Sentence 2
In the power-off straight-ahead stall the pilot keeps the ball centered and lowers the nose as soon as the buffet begins.