APS Upset Training

Industry regulatory agencies such as ICAO and the FAA agree that a well-qualified instructor is the most critical element of effective UPRT. Our exceptionally qualified UPRT instructors are fighter pilots, test pilots, aerobatic pilots, commercial pilots and master certified flight instructors (CFIs), together bringing thousands of hours of experience on the edge of upset to your training experience. However, elite qualifications and experience are only the beginning. Every upset instructor also undergoes APS’s standardized, rigorous UPRT instructor qualification process to maintain precision in proven teaching methods and to avoid negative training. APS has more Master CFIs on staff than any flight training organization in the world.

The most effective, safe, and long-lasting upset training is accomplished through an integrated combination of industry-approved loss of control academics, proper use of all-attitude piston and jet airplanes, and expertly integrated advanced flight simulation training devices when appropriate. The tactical integration of these three training mediums provides an engaging learning environment required to ingrain powerful and resilient UPRT skills.

In an unexpected airplane upset, accurate decision-making, resilience and measured reaction times are critical. Behavioral studies show practicing a skill multiple times intensely over multiple days develops deeper learning, faster decision-making and precise reaction time with accurate control response. Our minimum profile of four flights over three days builds the vital structured response, decision making, and reaction times you need to safely recover from a wide diversity of airplane upset conditions and provides a level of instruction that will allow those skills to remain second-nature should an event occur months or even years after training.

Addressing regulatory-defined training content is a bare minimum and not optional. Some UPRT providers may skip what they think doesn’t matter, which is unacceptable. Over the past three decades, APS has worked closely with regulatory agencies and oversight organizations such as ICAO, EASA and the FAA to help them establish guidance and best practices for safe and effective Upset Prevention and Recovery Training. UPRT training at APS is in strict compliance with these guidelines, adhering to the strictest safety standards and proven training practices, and, most importantly, also includes critical features these organizations have missed.

On-aircraft training in an all-altitude aerobatic-capable airplane is essential for pilots to develop advanced manual handling skills, effectively develop a three-dimensional mental model, and overcome critical human factors that often derail successful upset prevention or recovery in a real world crisis event. Together with expert instructors following a comprehensive training curriculum, safe all-attitude aircraft that are fully recoverable from inadvertent spins assure the delivery of a complete program while guaranteeing a margin of safety essential to safe and effective UPRT.

The intensity of the initial APS UPRT program establishes a long-term, renewable knowledge and skill foundation that can be completely refreshed every year in a short, one-day recurrent course. The APS Every Pilot in Control Solution Standard includes the ability for pilots to take control of the design, content, and structure of their annual recurrent training sessions. In addition to the single day recurrent, pilots and flight departments can optionally choose from comprehensive menu of enhancements they feel best fits their personal and operational needs.