Stick Shaker

The stick shaker is a mechanical warning device that vibrates (shakes) the control column or sidestick to provide a tactile warning of an impending stall. When the aircraft approaches the stall angle of attack, sensors on the wing or fuselage trigger an electric motor attached to the control column that produces a rapid, unmistakable shaking vibration.

The stick shaker activates at an angle of attack slightly above the normal operating range but before the actual stall occurs, giving the pilot sufficient warning to reduce the angle of attack and prevent the stall. In some aircraft, the stick shaker is accompanied by an aural warning (a "cricket" or alert tone).

Some aircraft also have a stick pusher, which goes one step further by physically pushing the control column forward to reduce the angle of attack if the pilot does not respond to the stick shaker. The stick pusher can be overridden by the pilot if necessary.

Stick shaker activation during approach is considered a serious event and is tracked by Flight Data Monitoring programs.