SUNRISE AVIATION

Special Operations Course

Emergency Maneuver Operations

Ground and Flight Training Syllabus

Enrollment Prerequisites:
The student must hold a valid Sport Pilot Certificate or a Private Pilot,
Commercial Pilot, or ATP certificate with at least an airplane category
and single engine land class rating.
Special Operations Course Objective:
To develop skills, competency, proficiency, resourcefulness, self-
confidence, and self-reliance in the student for performing a full range of
emergency unusual attitude recoveries in suitable aircraft. The course
uses standard aerobatic maneuvers to create simulated emergency
unusual attitude situations and to develop improved attitude awareness.
Tailwheel aircraft operations are discussed and demonstrated, but solo
competence is not a course objective.
Completion Standards:
The student must demonstrate through flight testing that he meets the
knowledge, skill, and experience requirements necessary to safely and
competently perform all maneuvers contained in this syllabus to the
standards specified in each lesson.

COURSE MATERIALS
“Emergency Maneuver Operations” syllabus, Sunrise Aviation Company
“Primary Aerobatics” by Michael Church; Sunrise Aviation Company, 2004

MANEUVERS
1. Coordination maneuvers
2. Dutch rolls
3. Steep turns
4. Flight at minimum controllable airspeed
5. Stalls
6. Prolonged stalls
7. One turn spins and recoveries
8. Aileron roll
a. Aileron roll unusual attitude recoveries

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9. Loop
a. Loop unusual attitude recoveries
10. Half Cuban
a. Half Cuban unusual attitude recoveries
11. Immelmann
a. Immelmann unusual attitude recoveries
12. Split-S
a. Split S unusual attitude recoveries

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LESSON ONE (2.0 hours Ground)

Objective: The student will develop an understanding of appropriate

sections of the FAR, parachute use, and aircraft systems appropriate to the
syllabus training flights. In addition, aerodynamics and procedures for spin
entry and recovery are reviewed. The physical principles of tailwheel
operations are introduced, but preparation for a pilot in command tailwheel
endorsement is not a goal of this training syllabus.

Homework preparation:
Primary Aerobatics
Chapter 1—“Spins”
Appendix 1-9

I. Ground Instruction
A. Aerobatic training based at Orange County Airport
1. Aerobatic FAR's: 91.303 and 91.307.
2. Airport operations.
3. Aerobatic training area
a. “El Toro Local” clearance
b. 5500’ msl
c. procedures for communications in the area
B. Aerobatics-General
1. Parachute use and care.
2. Load factors and physical sensations.
3. Queasiness and airsickness.
C. Tailwheel Operations
1. Disadvantages
a. Design:
Instability
Wheel size
Springs
Brakes
Visibility
b. Operating:
Weather vane
Angle of attack
2. Taxiing-planning and speed
a. Stick position/wind direction
b. Ground loop--what it is, how to avoid.

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3. Normal Takeoff
4. 3 point landing

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 5. Control stick operation--aileron/elevator separation
a. control sensitivity

D. Spins
1. Reason for doing--familiarity, training, unusual attitude recoveries.
2. Theory
a. Autorotation--aerodynamics in the spin, control surfaces in the
spin.
b. Skid and slip entries--relative wind and coordination.
c. 3 stages of development.
3. Entries-- RUDDER/STALL
a. Spins vs. spirals.
b. Counting--"half, one, half, two, etc..."
4. Recoveries--OPPOSITE RUDDER/UNSTALL.

E. Decathlon systems
1. Fuel system-tanks, drains, vents.
2. Fuel injection-alternate air, vapor lock, starting.
3. Inverted oil system-breather.
4. Propeller.
a. default blade setting

F. Preflight--done at aircraft
1. Aircraft interior: loose objects removed and security and/or proper
operation checked for fuel valve, controls, rudder, Hobbs number,
emergency door release, seats, seat belts and harness.
2. Airframe: fuel and oil quantity checked and security and/or proper
operation checked for inspection plates, exhaust manifold, control
surfaces, fuel drains, fuel vent, flying wires, gas caps, tire wear
(mains and tail), tailwheel steering, strut attach points, and propeller
hub and blades.

G. Parachute
1. Packing documents
2. Harness adjustment
3. Use
4. Care

Completion standards: Lesson One is complete when the student

demonstrates through oral quizzing an understanding of FAR 91.303/.307,

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parachute use and care, Decathlon fuel/oil systems, and procedures for
entry and recovery from spins, and has demonstrated performance of
thorough aircraft preflight operations.

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LESSON TWO ( 0.5 hour Ground and 1.0 hour Flight)

Objective: 1) The student is introduced to tailwheel handling and normal

takeoff operations. 2) The student will review and practice basic non-
aerobatic maneuvers. 3) The student will learn the proper entry and
recovery techniques for performance of one turn spins.

Homework preparation: None

I. Flight Instruction
A. Taxi
1. S turns.
2. Square S turns.
3. Braking.
4. Ground loop demo.
B. Runup
C. Takeoff demo
D. Climb and warm-up
1. S turns, Steep turns, Dutch rolls.
2. Slow Flight (1.1 Vso)--Turns, Dutch rolls.
E. Spins
1. Power off stalls.
2. Prolonged stalls.
3. Entry/Recovery drill
4. One turn spins--(start with 1/2 turns if appropriate).
5. Two turn spins.

COMPLETION STANDARDS:
Lesson Two is complete when the student can safely and competently
perform in-flight S Turns, steep turns, Dutch rolls, slow flight (1.1 Vso),
power off stalls and recoveries, prolonged power off stalls and recoveries,
and spin entries and recoveries to the following proficiency standards:
Level flight maneuvers:
the student maintains altitude within +/- 100’ starting altitude
and airspeed within +/ 10 mph of stated target.
Stalls:
the student promptly recognizes of stalls and makes
appropriate recovery inputs to reduce angle of attack below
critical limits.

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Spins:
Entry: the student uses appropriate control inputs of throttle,
aileron, rudder and elevator.
Spin: the student remains oriented to physical surroundings,
maintains appropriate control inputs of throttle, aileron, rudder
and elevator.
Recovery: the student uses appropriate control inputs of
throttle, aileron, rudder and elevator and recovers within +/-
45° of target heading and returns to level flight with airspeed
at or below Vno.

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LESSON THREE (0.5 Ground 1.0 Flight)
Objective: The student will learn “basic” aileron rolls and techniques for
unusual attitude recoveries from rolling maneuvers.

Homework preparation:
Primary Aerobatics
Chapter 2—“Aileron Rolls”

I. Ground Instruction
A. Aileron Roll
1. Maneuver description
2. How—Entry Speed and aircraft attitude:
130 mph, pitch attitude 30° positive, wings level.
3. Common errors--Not stabilizing at 30° pitch, too little
aileron/rudder, relaxing aileron too soon.
B. Unusual Attitudes
1. Situation—aircraft enters very nose-low inverted attitude
2. Recovery technique--Power off, finish roll, nose up. NO SPLIT-S.
II. Flight Instruction
A. Review normal ground operations
B. Warm up.
C. Spin practice.
D. Aileron rolls--left (as little CFI demo as possible).
E. Unusual attitudes
1. Student recoveries from nose low inverted attitudes (done on a
gradient of increasing difficulty).
F. Aileron rolls--right.

COMPLETION STANDARDS:
Lesson Three is complete when the student can safely and competently
perform basic aileron rolls and their associated unusual attitude recoveries
to these proficiency standards:
Entry: the student uses correct pitch and bank attitudes and entry airspeed.
Roll: student remains oriented to physical surroundings.
Completion: the student stops roll within +/- 10° of wings level and remains
within 10° of initial heading.
Unusual attitude recovery: the student remains oriented to physical
surroundings, reduces power promptly, uses appropriate control inputs to
level wings and recover within +/- 20° of initial heading with airspeed at or
below Vno.

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LESSON FOUR (0.5 hour Ground 1.0 hour Flight)

Objective: The student will learn how to perform loops and the appropriate
techniques for unusual attitude recoveries from looping maneuvers.

Homework preparation:
Primary Aerobatics
Chapter 3—“Loops”

I. Ground Instruction
A. Loop
1. Maneuver description.
2. Importance of loop to succeeding maneuvers.
3. How
a. Elevator- max G (3/4.0) at highest airspeed (140 mph entry
and exit, min G (0/-.5) at lowest airspeed (50 mph +/- 10
mph)
b. Rudder- WINGTIP REFERENCE to correct wing drag
c. Aileron-wings level at start, top and finish
4. Reference points:
a. straight ahead until 30° pitch
b. left wingtip until 30° past vertical attitude
c. over the head for top of loop
d. straight ahead for backside and completion of loop
5. Power
a. reduced to prevent RPM overspeed at start
b. full power at 30° pitch up
c. reduced as necessary on back side of loop to avoid RPM
overspeed.
B. Unusual attitudes
1. Situation: aircraft too slow to complete loop
a. Difference between inverted attitude and inverted flight.
b. Procedure--power off, let it fall, recover. Don't try to fly too
soon.
2. Situation: aircraft stalls and enters spin due to excessive angle of
attack
a. Procedure: power off, standard spin recovery

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II. Flight Instruction
A. Review
1. Aileron rolls.
2. Spins (if appropriate).
B. Loops (as little CFI demo as possible)
1. Suggested gradient of emphasis:
a. sequence of references-looking in the right place at the
right time
b. elevator movement for symmetry
c. aileron and rudder corrections to maintain heading
C. Loop unusual attitudes and recoveries
1. slow entries
2. excessive angle of attack approaching top

COMPLETION STANDARDS:
Lesson Four is complete when the student remains oriented using
appropriate reference points and can safely perform loops and their
associated unusual attitude recoveries to these proficiency standards:
Entry: the student uses correct attitude and airspeed
Loop: the student remains oriented to physical surroundings and
uses appropriate control inputs of throttle, aileron, rudder and
elevator
Exit: the student completes maneuver with heading within +/- 20° of
initial heading, altitude within +/- 100 feet of starting altitude and
airspeed below Vno.
Unusual attitudes: the student remains oriented to physical
surroundings, uses appropriate control inputs of throttle, aileron,
rudder and elevator and recovers with airspeed at or below Vno.

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LESSON FIVE (0.5 hour Ground, 1.0 hour Flight)

Objective: The student will learn how to correctly perform Half Cuban
Eights and the techniques for unusual attitude recoveries from nose-low
inverted attitudes.

Homework preparation:
Primary Aerobatics
Chapter 4—“Half Cuban”

I. Ground Instruction
A. Half Cuban Eights
1. Maneuver descriptions: interrupted loops with half slow rolls
2. How:
a. 140 entry. call altitude out loud.
b. Normal loop.
c. At 30° past inverted, forward stick to stop pitching (1.0 negative
approx), roll.
d. Roll: Switch reference; aileron, “opposite side” rudder (or NO
rudder)-switching to pro-roll rudder and back pressure to roll on
point and end 30° nose down. Power remains full.
e. At 130 mph reduce power and start pulling for level flight.
B. Unusual attitudes:
1. excessive airspeed on inverted descending line •”pushed” rolls
1. Recovery: power off, brisk roll to upright, pitch to level flight.

II. Flight Instruction

A. Drills:
1. 30 deg nose down, full power. Reduce power at 130 and start pull
up- call altitude out loud.
2. Control movements in roll--
a. interrupt loop with elevator
b. start roll with aileron and “opposite side” rudder
c. finish roll with pro-roll rudder/back elevator
B. Unusual attitudes and recoveries
1. nose low
2. “push” rolls

COMPLETION STANDARDS:
Lesson Five is complete when the student is competent using appropriate

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reference points and can safely perform Half Cubans and their associated
unusual attitude recoveries to these proficiency standards:
Entry: the student uses correct attitude and airspeed
Loop: the student remains oriented to physical surroundings and uses
appropriate timing and control inputs:
a. loop interruption with pitch attitude within +/- 10° of target (30°
nose low).
b. heading within +/- 10° of complete course reversal and airspeed
at or below Vno.
c. pitch attitude within +/-10° throughout roll
Unusual attitude: the student remains oriented to physical surroundings,
uses appropriate control inputs of throttle, aileron, rudder and elevator to
recover with airspeed at or below Vno.

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LESSON SIX ( 0.5 hour Ground 1.0 hour Flight)

Objective: The student will learn how to perform Immelmanns and

techniques for unusual attitude recoveries from inadvertent spin entries.

Homework preparation:
Primary Aerobatics
Chapter 4—“Immelmann”

I. Ground Instruction:
A. Immelmann--description of maneuver: 1/2 slow roll at top of loop.
B. Review aileron drag: LIFTING WINGTIP DRAGS (added induced
drag). Aileron drag stems from adding (and subtracting) angle of attack
to wings already flying with angle of attack (already making lift).
C. Immelmann--Three keys
1. Speed
a. 145 mph/ 3.5 G.
b. Round loop (must not dissipate speed by elongating front side).
2. Timing
a. Attitude picture.
b. Round loop (not rushing over the top, looking up soon enough).
3. Roll
a. Interrupt (stop all pitch motion).
b. Aileron (no rudder or slight “opposite side” rudder).
c. Pro-roll Rudder/Back elevator (starting at knife edge,
increasing).
D. Unusual attitude
1. Inadvertent spin entry at conclusion of roll. Requires power off and
standard spin recovery
II. Flight
A. Immelmann practice
B. Unusual attitudes: inadvertent spin entry

COMPLETION STANDARDS:
Lesson Six is complete when the student remains oriented using
appropriate reference points and can safely and competently perform
Immelmanns and their associated unusual attitude recoveries to these
proficiency standards:
Entry: the student uses correct attitude and airspeed.
Loop: the student remains oriented to physical surroundings and uses

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appropriate control inputs
Loop interruption: the student identifies attitude within +/- 10° of inverted
level flight.
Roll: the student uses appropriate control inputs to remain within +/- 20° of
heading and +/- 100 feet of altitude.
Unusual attitude: the student remains oriented to physical surroundings,
uses appropriate control inputs of throttle, aileron, rudder and elevator and
recovers with airspeed at or below Vno.

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LESSON SEVEN (0.5 hour Ground, 2.0 hour Flight)

Objective: The student learns how to perform Split S maneuvers and

associated unusual attitude recoveries.

Homework preparation:
Primary Aerobatics
Chapter 6—“Split S”

I. Ground
A. Maneuver description--1/2 aileron roll, 1/2 loop
1. How.
a. Attitude-30 deg. nose high.
b. Speed-80 mph max.
2. Controls-brisk aileron, full rudder at start (high angle of attack),
reduced rudder during roll. Power off/pull through.
3. Common errors- rolling past inverted.
B. Unusual Attitude—recovery after under- or over-rotation of the
half roll

II. Flight Instruction

A. Split-S

COMPLETION STANDARDS:
Lesson Seven is complete when the student remains oriented using
appropriate reference points and can safely and competently perform Split
S maneuvers and their associated unusual attitude recoveries to these
proficiency standards:
Entry: the student uses correct attitude and airspeed.
Roll: the student remains oriented to physical surroundings and uses
appropriate control inputs of throttle, aileron, rudder and elevator to
remain within +/- 10° of initial heading.
Completion: level flight attitude, heading within +/- 20° of initial
heading and airspeed at or below Vno.
Unusual attitude: the student remains oriented to physical
surroundings, uses appropriate control inputs of throttle, aileron,
rudder and elevator to recover with airspeed at or below Vno.

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LESSON EIGHT—Stage Check (1.0 hour Flight)

Objective: Course completion. The student will demonstrate competence at

recovering from Spins and the unusual attitudes produced by Aileron rolls,
Loops, Half Cuban Eights, Immelmanns and Split S maneuvers.
Recoveries will be within completion standard limits of aircraft attitude,
altitude and airspeed established in each relevant preceding lesson, and at
no time will the successful and safe outcome of any maneuver be in
question.

Homework preparation: None

I. Ground--none

II. Flight
A. Review all unusual attitude recovery situations and procedures
1. Spin
2. Loop
3. Aileron Roll
4. Half Cuban Eight
5. Immelmann
6. Split S

COMPLETION STANDARDS
The student will remain oriented to the physical surroundings at all times.
All maneuvers will complete within completion standard limits of aircraft
attitude and altitude established in each relevant preceding lesson, and
with airspeed at or below Vno. The safe outcome of each maneuver must
never be in question.

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