Definition
A stall practice maneuver in which the pilot intentionally induces a stall while the airplane is in a turn with the engine at idle power, simulating the conditions of a base-to-final approach turn. The maneuver is set up by establishing a stabilized descending turn at approach configuration and airspeed, then gradually raising the nose and increasing back pressure until the airplane stalls while still in the bank. Recovery involves simultaneously reducing angle of attack, leveling the wings, and applying power to return to a normal descent.
Plain English
It is a training exercise where you stall the airplane on purpose while turning with the engine at idle, to practice recognizing and recovering from the kind of stall that can happen on the turn from base to final.
Context Anchor
Seen in stall training, especially when practicing approach-to-landing scenarios and turns in the traffic pattern.
Derivation
“Stall” originally means to stop or come to a standstill. In aviation, the airplane does not have to stop moving; the wing has stopped producing smooth, reliable lift because it is meeting the air at too high an angle.
Why Pilots Care
These stalls demonstrate loss-of-control risks that can occur in power-off turns near the ground, helping pilots recognize early stall cues and apply correct recovery technique to avoid accidents.
Grounding Statement
Picture a descending turn toward landing with the power low: if the pilot pulls back too much, the wing can quit lifting smoothly even though the airplane is still moving forward.
Intuition Check
“Power-off” does not always mean the engine is shut down; in this training context it usually means power is reduced to idle or near idle. “Stall” does not mean the airplane stops in the air; it means the wing is no longer making smooth lift because its angle to the airflow is too high.
Example Sentence 1
During the lesson, the instructor demonstrated power-off turning stalls to show how the airplane behaves if the pilot pulls back too hard while turning from base to final.
Example Sentence 2
During a simulated engine-out scenario, the pilot recognized the onset of a power-off turning stall on base leg and immediately reduced the angle of attack to recover.