ACS tolerances

The Private Pilot Airplane ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C, effective May 31, 2024) anchors power-on stall tolerances around the takeoff/departure configuration, recognition of the first indication, the AoA-first recovery sequence, and coordinated flight throughout. The recovery technique is identical to power-off (B); the entry conditions are distinct.

The tolerances at a glance

Parameter	Target	Tolerance	Reference
Bank during entry	Straight ahead OR up to 20°	±10° in turning entry	VII.C.S2
Recognition	First indication of stall	Verbal announcement	VII.C.S3
Recovery technique	Reduce AoA → full power → wings level	Correct sequence	VII.C.S4
Coordination	Coordinated flight throughout	Ball centered	VII.C.S2

Plus structural requirements:

• Clear the area before beginning — VII.C.S1
• Establish takeoff or departure configuration — VII.C.S1
• Apply takeoff or departure power and pitch up to induce the stall — VII.C.S2
• Recognize and announce the first indication — VII.C.S3
• Recover using the AoA-first sequence — VII.C.S4

Bank during entry

Same standard as power-off (B): straight ahead or up to 20° bank. The ±10° tolerance on bank in turning entries applies.

Power-on turning entries are the more dangerous setup — the combination of high power, high AoA, and bank produces accelerated stall speed AND maximum left-turning tendency AND a banked attitude. A pilot who lets the ball drift in a power-on turning stall risks spin entry. VII.C.S2's "coordinated" rider is the explicit guard against this.

Recognition — verbal announcement required

Same standard as power-off (B). Annunciate "Stall warning" or "Stall" at the first cue. Silent recovery isn't a passing demonstration.

Recovery technique — AoA first

Identical doctrine to power-off (B). The order is:

1. Reduce AoA (forward pitch input).
2. Apply or maintain full power.
3. Level wings (coordinated).
4. Recover to climb while minimizing altitude loss.

The recovery is the same; the deck angle when broken is steeper than power-off, so the AoA reduction may feel more dramatic. The pitch input should still be smooth, not violent.

Coordination throughout — the high-stakes rider

VII.C.S2 specifies coordinated flight during the entry, not just at the stall. Uncoordinated power-on flight is the kill chain for the departure stall-spin accident — the same scenario that fills NTSB reports each year.

The DPE evaluates coordination by:

• Ball position during the entry climb.
• Rudder pressure required (active right rudder is the expectation).
• Pitch and bank symmetry through the recovery.

A wing drop at the stall is acceptable if the recovery technique is correct (AoA reduction first, then coordinated wings-level recovery). What's not acceptable is using aileron alone to fight the drop — that's the input pattern that produces a spin (cross-ref VII.D).

The standard rules out the "salvage with aileron" instinct. If a wing drops at a power-on stall, the correct input is forward elevator first, then coordinated wings-level recovery. Reaching for aileron to "pick up" the dropping wing while still stalled is the wrong answer.