UPRT stands for "Upset Prevention and Recovery Training" and is a combination of theoretical and practical training given to aircraft pilots to enable them to prevent, recognize, and recover from unusual attitudes. The training aims to provide flight crew with the necessary competencies to avoid and recover from situations that can lead to loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) . LOC-I represented approximately 30% of fatalities in scheduled commercial air transport between 2010 and 2014. UPRT is intended to provide initial experience of g-forces that could be encountered in a commercial airplane, from approximately -1g to 2.5g, and to help a pilot gain angle-of-attack awareness. The training also includes psychological elements such as overcoming surprise and startle, developing counter-intuitive recovery skills, and developing self-confidence through upset recovery in a "real-world" environment.
UPRT is collated into an integrated approach which identifies the training resources - academic, on-aeroplane, and FSTD-based - and the associated elements. In order to expose pilots to different levels of UPRT at various stages of their professional pilot’s career, Annex I (Part-FCL) to Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 contains the following “levels” of UPRT:
- Basic UPRT exercises as part of all CPL and ATP integrated training courses as well as the MPL training course (phase 1 to 3).
- An ‘advanced UPRT course’ including at least 5 hours of theoretical instruction as well as at least 3 hours of dual flight instruction in an aeroplane, with the aim to enhance the student’s resilience to the psychological and physiological aspects associated with upset conditions.
- Class- or type-related UPRT during class or type rating training to address the specificities of the relevant class or type of aeroplane.
Although typical airline UPRT programs now adhere to the ICAO standard and recommended practices, general aviation (GA) operators have few to no official UPRT requirements. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and its global counterparts are pressing civil aviation authorities to create appropriate UPRT standards and guidance for GA.
