A New Pilot's Guide to Staying in Control

By Galahad Davis | August 16, 2025

Flying is all about speed, power, and the thrill of racing through the sky right? So why would we ever want to choose to fly slow instead. When you're just starting out as a student pilot, it's one of the first maneuvers you are shown and have to practice. And for good reason. There's something to be said about mastering the art of slow flight. It's a skill I still practice today because like everything in aviation and in general, you either use it or lose it.

One of the most important (and humbling) skills a new pilot can learn is how to fly slowly. Just on the edge of a stall, in full control, and totally in tune with the airplane. This is called slow flight, and it’s more useful than you might think.

Let’s break it down.

What is Slow Flight?

Slow flight is a maneuver where the aircraft is flown at a very low airspeed just above stall speed while still maintaining altitude and controlled flight. Think of it as flying on the brink, right before the wing stops generating enough lift. Any further increase in angle of attack, load factor, or reduction in power will result in a stall warning. This warning could be aircraft buffeting, stall horn, etc. As a pilot, it's your job to react to and correct for any stall indication.

The purpose? To help you understand how your plane behaves in its least stable state and how to stay in control. Its normal to fly at reduced airspeeds during the takeoff/departure and the approach/landing phases of flight. The objective of maneuvering in slow flight is to develop your ability to fly at low speeds and high angle of attacks (AOA).

During slow flight, you’ll learn how:

• The controls feel mushy and less responsive

• Stall warnings may chirp or buzz

• You need lots of right rudder

• Pitch and power work together to maintain altitude and airspeed

• Small control inputs make a big difference

With practice, you'll become familiar with the feel, sound, and visual cues of flight in this configuration, where there is a reduced response to control inputs and it is more difficult to maintain a desired altitude. It’s not about looking cool. It’s about finesse.

Why Slow Flight Matters

Slow flight isn’t just a box to check on your private pilot checkride. It has real-world applications, such as:

• Approaching to land: Every landing ends in slow flight. Understanding how your plane handles at low speeds helps you stay precise and safe in the pattern.

• Short field or soft field operations: You’ll need to control the aircraft carefully at low speeds during takeoffs and landings on short or rough runways.

• Emergencies: If you ever need to make a forced landing, being able to fly slowly and precisely could make all the difference.

Knowing how to control your aircraft at the edge of its performance envelope makes you a safer, more confident pilot.

The FAA Airplane Flying Handbook separates slow flight into two main elements for the purposes of pilot training and testing purposes (AFH 5-9):

1.  Slowing to, maneuvering at, and recovering from an airspeed at which the airplane is still capable of maintaining controlled flight without activating the stall warning—5 to 10 knots above the 1G stall speed is a good target.

2. Performing slow flight in configurations appropriate to takeoffs, climbs, descents, approaches to landing, and go-arounds. 

What to Expect During Slow Flight Training

Here’s a rough idea of how it goes in a lesson:

1. Clear the area – Always check for traffic before you begin.

2. Reduce power – Slowly bring back the throttle while maintaining altitude.

3. Add flaps (as appropriate for your aircraft) – This helps you fly slower without stalling.

4. Maintain altitude and heading – Use pitch to control altitude and power to control airspeed.

5. Feel the controls – The controls will be less responsive. Use coordinated rudder and a gentle touch.

You're now in slow flight. Practice holding everything steady. Then introduce turns, climbs, and descents or combine turns with changes in altitude together. Maybe even a simulated go-around.

6. Recover smoothly – To exit slow flight, add full power, retract flaps in stages, and pitch for a climb. Remember to maintain coordinated flight, level the wings, and return to the desired flightpath. Anticipate the changes to the AOA as the landing gear and flaps are retracted to avoid a stall.

For testing purposes, the maneuver is not complete until completely recovered and your aircraft has returned to a normal configuration. Don't let up too soon and finish strong!

Tips for New Pilots

Here are a few pointers to help you nail slow flight:

🛫 Trim, trim, trim – It reduces your workload and helps you stay steady.

🦶 Use rudder, not aileron, to keep wings level – At slow speeds, ailerons are less effective and can cause unwanted yaw.

⚖️ Stay coordinated – Keep that ball centered! Uncoordinated flight near stall speed is a recipe for an unwanted spin.

🧠 Be patient – It’s a skill that improves with practice. Don’t rush it. Slow is steady.

📚 Know your numbers – Learn your aircraft’s stall speed and slow flight configurations cold.

Common Errors

Listed below are common errors in the performance of slow flight as identified by the FAA in the Airplane Flying Handbook (AFH 5-12):

1. Failure to adequately clear the area

2. Inadequate back-elevator pressure as power is reduced, resulting in altitude loss

3. Excessive back-elevator pressure as power is reduced, resulting in a climb followed by rapid reduction in airspeed

4. Insufficient right rudder to compensate for left yaw

5. Fixation on the flight instruments

6. Failure to anticipate changes in AOA as flaps are extended or retracted

7. Inadequate power management

8. Inability to adequately divide attention between airplane control and orientation

9. Failure to properly trim the airplane

10. Failure to respond to a stall warning 

The Bottom Line

Slow flight might feel awkward at first but that’s the point. It teaches you to stay in control when your aircraft is least forgiving. With practice, you’ll learn to read the signs, make smooth corrections, and stay safe when it really counts.

So next time you fly, don’t dread slow flight. Embrace it.

Because if you can master your airplane when it's struggling to stay airborne… you'll be rock solid when it's soaring with ease.

Let's practice slow flight together. Connect with me below and we can go fly!

✈️ Want to learn more about flight maneuvers? Stay tuned for my post on power-off stalls and how to recover with confidence!

Return to the Blog: