Airwork
Airwork develops precise aircraft handling, coordination, situational awareness, and the ability to recognize and correct changes in attitude, airspeed, bank, and flight path.
Airwork maneuvers isolate fundamental aircraft-control skills so pilots can practice them deliberately away from the additional workload of normal takeoff, navigation, approach, and landing tasks.
Training objectives and maneuver standards vary. Individual pages provide general background and practice considerations while aircraft procedures and applicable training standards remain authoritative.
Airwork skills
- Slow Flight — Aircraft control at low airspeed with emphasis on coordination, angle of attack, power, and stall awareness.
- Steep Turns — Precise control of bank, pitch, altitude, airspeed, coordination, and rollout.
- Unusual Attitude Recovery — Recognizing unintended aircraft attitudes and returning toward controlled flight.
What pilots practice
Depending on the aircraft, training objective, conditions, applicable standards, and instructor guidance, this area may involve:
- pitch, bank, power, and coordination
- outside visual references and instrument cross-check
- angle of attack and airspeed awareness
- load factor and changing aircraft performance
- recognition and correction of deviations
- traffic awareness during maneuvering
Practice and proficiency
Individual flying skills can become less familiar when they are not practiced regularly. The appropriate practice interval is personal and depends on experience, aircraft, operating environment, training, and the type of flying a pilot does.
Last Practiced lets pilots record when they practiced individual skills and set personal Practice Targets for skills they want to revisit.
Practice Targets are personal reminders. They do not establish regulatory currency, proficiency, or legal eligibility to fly.
Browse all pilot skills
Return to the Pilot Skills library to browse takeoffs and landings, airwork, stalls, emergency procedures, navigation, instrument flying, and glider skills.