Unusual Attitude Recovery & Partial Panel
Key cues, recovery sequences, and partial-panel substitutes for handling upsets and attitude indicator failure.
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Questions Covered in This Set
11 cards to master
What is the practical trigger that signals an unusual attitude?
Rate — fast-moving needles (airspeed winding/unwinding, altimeter spinning, VSI pegged, heading rotating quickly) instead of the normally quiet, slow-drifting instruments.
Instrument indications of a nose-high unusual attitude
Airspeed decreasing rapidly, altimeter and VSI showing a climb, AI high on the pitch scale. Primary danger: stall.
Instrument indications of a nose-low unusual attitude
Airspeed increasing rapidly, altimeter and VSI showing a descent, usually with bank. Danger: overspeed/structural overload and tightening spiral.
Nose-high recovery sequence
P-P-B: Power (add, usually full) → Pitch (lower nose to reduce AOA and regain airspeed) → Bank (level wings as pitch approaches level).
Nose-low recovery sequence
P-B-P: Power (reduce, usually idle) → Bank (level the wings FIRST) → Pitch (smoothly raise nose to level flight).
Why must you level the wings before pulling in a nose-low upset?
Pulling with large bank only tightens the spiral, increases load factor, and increases descent rate; rolling level first lets the pull actually raise the nose without overstressing the airplane.
Which single instrument fastest distinguishes nose-high from nose-low?
Airspeed — decreasing means nose-high, increasing means nose-low.
Which instruments fail with a vacuum pump failure in a legacy six-pack?
The attitude indicator and heading indicator (vacuum-driven). The turn coordinator (electric) and airspeed, altimeter, VSI (pitot-static) keep working.
Why is a vacuum failure insidious?
The gyro spools down slowly without flagging itself — the AI gradually leans and the pilot follows it into a bank/spiral.
Defenses against undetected attitude indicator failure
Include the vacuum/suction gauge in the scan every few minutes; cross-check AI against turn coordinator, altimeter, and magnetic compass. If AI disagrees with the other three, cover the AI.
When is an unusual attitude recovery considered complete?
When airspeed, altimeter, and VSI stop their rapid movement — then re-establish cruise attitude, set power, and re-trim before worrying about navigation.
