Plain English Meaning

A built-in alarm that lets the pilot know the wing is about to stop flying properly, giving them a chance to lower the nose and recover before a full stall happens.

Full Definition

An onboard device that alerts the pilot when the wing's angle of attack approaches the critical angle at which the wing will stop producing sufficient lift. The warning is typically delivered as an audible horn, a stick shaker, an illuminated light, or a combination of these, and is designed to activate slightly before the actual stall occurs.

Context Anchor

You encounter it during preflight checks, slow-speed practice, approach and landing, and any situation where the airplane may be getting too slow or too .