Which region is characterized by the need to add power to decrease airspeed?

• A. Region of normal command
• B. Region of cruise control
• C. Region of reversed command
• D. Stalled region

Answer: (C)

This question tests understanding of the region of reversed command. In slow-flight conditions near a stall, the aircraft’s response to power changes is no longer intuitive: airspeed becomes more a function of pitch attitude than of thrust. In this regime, increasing power can actually lead to a decrease in airspeed because the combination of high angle of attack and the aerodynamics near stall makes the relationship between thrust and speed invert. Pilots must manage airspeed primarily through pitch (angle of attack) rather than expecting power changes to control speed in the usual way. Therefore, you may encounter a situation where adding power is used in the process of reducing airspeed or maintaining controlled flight in this slow-speed region, which is characteristic of the region of reversed command.