Stall (Aeronautics)
The term “stall” in aeronautics refers to a specific condition that can occur in an aircraft when the angle of attack becomes too great, preventing air from flowing smoothly over the airfoil. This condition can cause a rapid decrease in lift, and an increase in drag, resulting in the separation of airflow from the wing’s surface. The angle of attack refers to the angle between the chord line of the wing and the oncoming airflow.
When a stall occurs, the aircraft’s wings are no longer generating enough lift to keep the aircraft in the air. This can happen at any pitch attitude or airspeed, and can be induced intentionally or unintentionally. The act of inducing a stall in an aircraft is known as “stall testing,” which involves intentionally increasing the angle of attack until the aircraft stalls.
It is important for pilots to understand the concept of a stall and how to recover from one, as it is a potentially dangerous situation. Recovery typically involves reducing the angle of attack and increasing airspeed to resume normal airflow over the airfoil.
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