Maximum performance climbing turn — 180° direction change to minimum controllable airspeed. Tests the mastery of pitch, bank, and airspeed coordination near the edge of the envelope.
A symmetrical flowing maneuver where no two points share the same pitch, bank, or airspeed. The ultimate test of coordination, feel, and planning.
Gliding 360° turns maintaining a constant radius around a ground reference at idle power. Ground reference meets energy management.
The most conceptually unique CPL maneuver — you're chasing pivotal altitude, not a ground track. A visual reference line must stay pinned to the pylon.
From abeam the numbers at pattern altitude, power to idle — land within 200 ft of a designated point. Pure energy management and glide judgment.
360°/720° turns at 45° bank maintaining altitude ±100 ft. Demonstrates precise coordination at elevated load factors and tests back-pressure and power management.
Sustained flight at minimum controllable airspeed on the back side of the power curve. Demonstrates mastery of attitude control at the edge of stall.
Simulates a departure stall at takeoff/climb power. High nose attitude with full power — tests torque/P-factor management and coordinated recovery.
Landing approach configuration stall at idle power. Flaps extended, gear down, slow approach. Tests clean recovery with minimum altitude loss.
Standard departure from a paved runway with adequate length. Establishes the baseline technique from which all other takeoffs vary.
Maximum performance departure for limited runway or obstacle environments. Brakes held at full power, liftoff at Vr, climb at Vx until obstacles cleared.
Grass, gravel, mud, or snow departure. Continuous rolling, back pressure to offload the nose, liftoff at minimum flying speed, accelerate in ground effect.
Stabilized approach to a smooth touchdown at the aiming point. The foundation of all landing technique — full flaps, 1.3 Vso, consistent glidepath.
Maximum performance landing — minimum touchdown point with maximum braking. Precise airspeed, firm touchdown, immediate deceleration.
Minimum vertical speed touchdown on unprepared surfaces. Power through flare, protect the nosewheel, keep weight off the gear as long as possible.
Rejected landing from any point on approach. Must be immediate, decisive, and correctly sequenced. Never a failure — always the right call when warranted.
Rapid descent to lower altitude for fire, pressurization failure, or incapacitation. Maximum rate descent without exceeding structural limits.
Complete power loss requiring off-airport landing. Best glide, site selection, restart attempt, Mayday call, and landing — simultaneously and in order of priority.
Thorough knowledge of spin phases, aerodynamics, causes, and PARE recovery. Understanding spins is what prevents them. No actual spin entry required for ASEL CPL.