Commercial pilot · ACS CA.VII.C · Instructor lesson plan
Power-On Stalls
Student pack: Train: Power-On Stalls · Full lesson: Prepare guide
1 · Objective
By the end of this lesson your student can explain power-on stalls in their own words, apply it in a realistic situation, and fly it to the ACS standard for CA.VII.C.
Why it matters for safety: Departure stalls happen right after takeoff, with little height and a lot of power, so a wing drop can become a spin quickly. A commercial pilot flying passengers, heavy or out of a hot airport, is exactly where a steep climb gets tempting. Practicing the stall at altitude makes the coordinated recovery reflexive.
2 · Assign before the lesson
Pre-work: the free Train pack, Power-On Stalls. The departure stall: high power, high nose, strong left-turning tendency, and a prompt, coordinated recovery.
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Pack: pilotprep.pro/train/cpl/power-on-stalls · Full lesson: pilotprep.pro/prepare/cpl/power-on-stalls
3 · Teach sequence
Key points to land
- Power-on stalls simulate takeoff and departure: high power (at least 65%) and a high nose.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins; Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.VII.C.S4)
- Left-turning tendencies (torque, P-factor, spiraling slipstream, gyroscopic precession) peak at high power and high angle of attack, so right rudder must increase as speed decays. Yaw at the break makes one wing stall deeper and drop, and continued yaw is the spin entry.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- Recovery: Disconnect the autopilot or wing leveler if engaged; reduce the angle of attack until the stall warning stops; if a wing drops, check the yaw with rudder and keep the ailerons near neutral until the wing is flying, then level the wings with coordinated aileron and rudder; add power as needed (watching for left-turning tendency and pitch-up); then return to the desired flight path. The goal is to get the wing flying again, not to save altitude: minimum altitude loss comes from a correct recovery, and holding the nose up to save altitude causes a secondary stall.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
- Elevator trim stall: full nose-up trim plus full power (a go-around) can pitch the nose up into a stall. Push firmly with the elevator first (the force may be large) to hold a safe attitude, then re-trim nose-down once the attitude is controlled; leave the flaps until airspeed builds through a safe speed, then retract in stages.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- Real-world setups: a steep climb-out, a turn after takeoff, a distracted departure, high density altitude.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
- Commercial standard: heading ±10° straight, or bank not over 20°, ±10° in turns; recover at the first indication or after a full stall, as asked.(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.VII.C.S6-S8)
- Finish no lower than 1,500 feet AGL single-engine, 3,000 feet AGL multiengine.(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.VII.C.S2)
The aerodynamics
- With high power the stall comes at a lower indicated airspeed and higher nose attitude than power off; the slipstream and thrust help the wing. Weight and load factor raise the stall speed (a climbing departure turn stalls sooner than straight ahead); a forward CG raises it, an aft CG lowers it slightly but makes stall and spin recovery worse.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
- Left-turning tendencies are strongest here; a skid can drop a wing sharply at the break. Stall characteristics vary by design.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
How it's flown
- Choose a practice area clear of terrain, obstacles and wires, with a forced-landing option in mind; clear it with clearing turns before each maneuver, and keep looking outside while you fly it, especially when the high nose blocks the view ahead.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- Set the takeoff, departure or cruise configuration as the evaluator asks (gear up in a retractable), slow to normal liftoff speed, coordinated, then set power as assigned, no less than 65%, and raise the nose smoothly to the stall, straight or in a turn up to 20°.(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.VII.C.S3-S6)
- Recover: Disconnect the autopilot or wing leveler if engaged; reduce the angle of attack until the stall warning stops; if a wing drops, check the yaw with rudder and keep the ailerons near neutral until the wing is flying, then level the wings with coordinated aileron and rudder; add power as needed (watching for left-turning tendency and pitch-up); then return to the desired flight path. The goal is to get the wing flying again, not to save altitude: minimum altitude loss comes from a correct recovery, and holding the nose up to save altitude causes a secondary stall. Then climb at VX or VY.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
- Prevent it: climb at the published speed, not a steeper nose, and keep coordinated in turns after takeoff.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
Warnings, secondary, trim and cross-control stalls
- Stall warnings (horn, light) must start at least 5 knots above the stall in each configuration, typically 5 to 10 knots (check the POH), and continue to the stall; they are angle-of-attack driven and can fail, and in an accelerated stall the warning comes at a higher speed. Buffet differs between airplanes. Know the other cues: mushy controls, quieter air noise, a high nose, sink.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- A stall warning in a departure climb means lower the nose now.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
- Secondary stall: pulling too soon in the recovery. Elevator trim stall: nose-up trim plus full power on a go-around. Accelerated stall: pulling hard. Cross-control stall: skid plus opposite aileron.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
Environment and attention
- Turbulence and gusts change the angle of attack suddenly; a microburst or wind shear can drop the airspeed in seconds; at high density altitude there is less power to recover with, and the true airspeed at the stall is higher.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
- Distraction is how stalls happen in real flying: a frequency change, a passenger, traffic. Keep a scan outside and inside, and if in doubt, lower the nose first.(Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A))
Watch for in the airplane: Your instructor watches for coordination at high power, a smooth pitch-up, prompt angle-of-attack reduction, wings leveled with coordinated aileron and rudder, no secondary stall, and the commercial tolerances.
4 · Ask your student
In order: recall, then understanding, then applying it. Move up only when the answer shows it.
Recall · What power setting is used for power-on stalls on the commercial checkride?
A strong answer: At least 65 percent power.
Understand · Why is a wing more likely to drop in a power-on stall?
A strong answer: High power at low airspeed means strong left-turning tendencies; if you're not coordinated, one wing stalls first and drops.
Apply · Departing a high-elevation airport heavy, the climb is anemic and you want more. What do you do?
A strong answer: Hold VY or VX as appropriate, not a higher nose: pitching up only slows you toward a stall. Lean for best power and turn back early if the climb won't clear terrain.
Scenarios to talk through
At the break, the left wing drops sharply. What do you do?
Sound decision: Reduce the angle of attack first, then level the wings with coordinated aileron and rudder; avoid big aileron while still stalled.
Going around with full flaps and nose-up trim, the nose rises steeply. What's happening?
Sound decision: An elevator trim stall in the making: push forward firmly with the elevator to hold a safe attitude (that is the recovery), re-trim nose-down once it's under control, and retract the flaps in steps only as airspeed builds.
After takeoff, a passenger asks a question as you turn crosswind and the horn chirps. What do you do?
Sound decision: Fly first: lower the nose, keep coordinated, then answer when the climb is stable.
5 · Common student errors
Too little right rudder.
Why it matters: A wing drops at the stall.
How to correct it: Keep the ball centered all the way.
Too abrupt a pitch-up.
Why it matters: It turns the maneuver into an accelerated stall.
How to correct it: Raise the nose smoothly.
Using aileron to pick up a dropped wing while still stalled.
Why it matters: It can deepen the stall on that wing.
How to correct it: Lower the angle of attack first, then coordinated controls.
6 · Completion standard
- Takeoff, departure or cruise configuration, coordinated, at least 65% power; heading ±10° straight, bank not over 20°, ±10° in a turn, to the stall asked for.
- Acknowledge the first cue, recover promptly, configure and accelerate to VX or VY, return to the assigned altitude, heading and airspeed; finish no lower than 1,500 feet AGL (3,000 multiengine).
- Your student answers each "Ask your student" question in their own words, up to the Apply level, without prompting.
- They talk through the scenarios and reach a safe, legal decision, explaining why.
- They complete the pack’s quick check and can say what they flagged.
Area trained? Close out with a practice oral focused on CA.VII.C: pilotprep.pro/exam?exam=CPL&focus=CA.VII.C
7 · References
- Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Slow flight, stalls and spins; multiengine airplanes
- Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight
- AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training
- AC 61-67C, Stall and Spin Awareness Training
- Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), Area VII
- Your airplane's POH/AFM, stall recovery, speeds and limitations
- Airman Certification Standards, task CA.VII.C
PilotPrep instructor lesson plan, from the Power-On Stalls lesson (checked against current FAA sources 2026-11-13). A study and teaching aid, not FAA guidance; teach to your own judgment and the current ACS.