Let's talk spins......

[MFRskyknight]

I just love spins. It's also a good idea to get a little Conventional Gear (tail wheel) so may so may as well get a little aerobatic training and spins. I agree on a little spin training.

I did my first spins the other day with an instructor in a 152, I thought it was a blast. Getting my tailwheel endorsement in a Taylorcraft now (w/ some spin training in that as well). Fun fun fun!

While I am over the anxiety of practicing spins, the thought of effing up on the base-to-final and hurtling toward the roof of Wal-Mart is pretty unsettling. Like other have said, it's really up to the individual pilot to seek out not just the proper training, but enough of the proper training to make recoveries 2nd nature. I think a thorough aerobatics course with a very experienced instructor in a less forgiving plane is a great idea.

MFR

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

I did my first spins the other day with an instructor in a 152, I thought it was a blast. I think a thorough aerobatics course with a very experienced instructor in a less forgiving plane is a great idea.

MFR

The best airplane for aerobatics training is the Super Decathlon....

 

[Waldom]

Question to practicing primary flight instructors: How in good conscience can you solo a student that has not been taught to recognize an incipient spin and does not possess the knowledge to recover from one?

I am not a C.F.I., so for me this is an academic question posed to the folks with the most important job in the industry who are out there teaching every day. I know its easy to have an opinion when you don't have to face this complicated issue.

My mother gave over 10,000 hours of primary instruction and she did not teach spins unless requested or to a C.F.I. candidate. My wife also instructed at one time and she always taught spin recognition and recovery pre solo. Neither one ever had a student spin in.

 

[flyingnome]

during the pre-solo training most courses go over the "demonstrated stalls" including the cross controlled stall. when I am demonstrating this I will intentionally put the airplane into at least the incipient stage of the spin, with some I will let a full rotation occur.

after the demonstration I will have the student perform a "power on" stall with out using rudder controls which will lead to the incipient stages of a spin. Bringing the power to idle will correct this action and it is usually a good way of showing a student how to correct a bad situation very easily.

 

[Waldom]

Thanks, Flyingnome, for a clear and concise reply. I can understand how this would teach recognition and avoidance.

 

[flyingnome]

Glad I could help out, I feel that it is very important to at least demonstrate so that the student can recognize the situation or else when the crap hits the fan then what? It should help reduce the panic situation or fear that comes with the word "spins" once you have seen the entry and can see how easily to avoid/or recover they arent so bad.

the most important thing a student can do is just to look outside while practicing these maneuvers learn to recognize the drifting of the horizon and how to just use the "feet" to stop the movement of the horizon. If they can see that they wont get into a spin during a stall maneuver. And if the wing does come over at least then you have explained how to fix it and can just sit there and tell them to recover with out reaching for the controls.

If you are scared of spins yourself and always reach for the controls how will the student learn that its ok and they can fix it too....

I enjoy teaching primarys for some sick reason I currently am carrying 14 of them...

 

[Waldom]

To Flyingnome; It is refreshing to hear from a motivated instructor who seems dedicated to his students.

To UndauntedFlyer; Thanks for introducing a thought-provoking thread. Let me guess; you just happen to have a Decathlon you offer dual in.

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

To UndauntedFlyer; Thanks for introducing a thought-provoking thread. Let me guess; you just happen to have a Decathlon you offer dual in.

Thanks for the compliment. I really don't offer dual training in my Decathlon because the insurance for a commercial operation is so expensive.