Recovery from Unusual Flight Attitudes
Private Pilot ACS · Area VIII · Task E · FAA-H-8083-15, FAA-H-8083-3
Everything you need to know about Recovery from Unusual Flight Attitudes for your private pilot checkride. Aligned to FAA-S-ACS-6C Task VIII-E, covering recovery from unusual flight attitudes.
Nose-High Unusual Attitude §
Recognition: Airspeed decreasing, altimeter increasing, VSI showing climb, AI showing nose high.
Recovery sequence:
1. Power: Increase to full (minimize altitude loss)
2. Bank: Roll wings level
3. Pitch: Lower nose to horizon
Do NOT push the nose down before wings are level — with a steep bank, forward stick in a banked attitude increases the spiral, not the pitch. The sequence matters.
Recovery sequence:
1. Power: Increase to full (minimize altitude loss)
2. Bank: Roll wings level
3. Pitch: Lower nose to horizon
Do NOT push the nose down before wings are level — with a steep bank, forward stick in a banked attitude increases the spiral, not the pitch. The sequence matters.
AFH Ch.7; ACS PA.VIII.E
Nose-Low Unusual Attitude §
Recognition: Airspeed increasing rapidly, altimeter decreasing, VSI showing steep descent, AI showing nose low and possibly steep bank.
Recovery sequence:
1. Power: Reduce to idle (prevent airspeed from exceeding Vne)
2. Bank: Roll wings level first
3. Pitch: Raise nose to horizon — gently, not abruptly
Abrupt back pressure in a steep nose-low attitude: Can exceed load limits or cause an accelerated stall. Roll wings level first, then pull gently. Every 10° of bank steepens the effective pitch input.
Recovery sequence:
1. Power: Reduce to idle (prevent airspeed from exceeding Vne)
2. Bank: Roll wings level first
3. Pitch: Raise nose to horizon — gently, not abruptly
Abrupt back pressure in a steep nose-low attitude: Can exceed load limits or cause an accelerated stall. Roll wings level first, then pull gently. Every 10° of bank steepens the effective pitch input.
AFH Ch.7; ACS PA.VIII.E