VIDEO PROOF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qAVsFk9Eug
I would assume this is common knowledge, but I
rarely ever see this done by
anyone except high level players. And to be quite honest with you, a lot of high level players don't do it either, hence why I am posting this. This method of recovery aid improves your chances of survival significantly, and may help your character to live anywhere from 8-12% longer than normal.
If you are struck with an attack and sent flying, using an aerial attack will help slow down the momentum you're being carried at and help you to avoid being tossed into the blastzone. This is done by allowing you to regain control of your influence in the air.
Facts:
1) The faster the aerial used, both on start up frames and cool down frames, the better. If a characters Fair and Bair have the same start up at lets say Frame 5, but the Fair ends at Frame 18 while the Bair ends at Frame 26, the Fair is the optimal choice to use. On the flip side, if both aerials were to end at the same Frame rate, but the Fair started sooner, you would want to use the Fair as your aerial of choice.
2) Specific aerials are not required for a particular direction you are sent towards. If you are sent straight upwards, you would use the same aerial attack to help you survive for that character as if you were sent straight side ways. Direction does not matter, just the aerial you use, which as stated above, should be your fastest for start up and cool down frames.
3) You should only use the aerial
once. During the time an aerial is used, you are helpless, and being carried in the same trajectory you may die from. Once your aerial attack finishes, you can regain control of your influence, as well as the ability to perform any other action in the air, in order to help you live. However, if you spam the aerial and use it more than once, you will extend the amount of time you are unable to control your character, and may go into a blastzone as the result.
4) Aerials with momentum altering traits
do not offer you any special benefit whatsoever as opposed to other aerials. During the time you are lingering in hit stun, these aerials lose any special characteristic they have normally, such as Lucarios stalling Dair, or Toon Links fast fall Dair. Because of this, they may work the same or worse compared to other aerials which might in fact be faster. Point is, if you have a faster aerial to perform, do not use them.
5) Aerial attacks and Air Dodging are the only actions you can perform while sent flying. This also means that Specials cannot be used until you have regained control, and thus cannot be used the way aerials can.
6) Jumping helps to stall momentum (more so with certain characters than others) the same way your regular aerial influence does. Thus in certain circumstances, it can be useful and sometimes necessary in order to survive an attack that would otherwise kill you, along with your aerial attack. However, it isn't always necessary, and should only be used if your character is capable of returning to the stage or if you would die otherwise.
7)
Air Dodging sucks. Don't use it.
Point being? USE YOUR AERIALS FOR RECOVERY. Remember that old habbit we all had back in March where everyone used Airdodging immediately after attacks hit you because you thought it did something? Replace that with aerials and you're good to go.
