Spinning

[djpacro]

A number of regulatory bodies have some excellent material on spinning:

 

This one from the UK is easy reading - Safety in Spin Training

 

The NZ equivalent is also easy reading - Spin Avoidance

 

A lot more bedtime reading in the next two:

 

The USA FAA's AC 61-67C Stall and Spin Awareness Training

 

CASA's CAAP 155-1 on Aerobatics

 

 

[djpacro]

Although the air is pretty much the same in all four countries the regulatory environment is totally different here in Australia. Logbook endorsements are required for solo spinning and aerobatics. CASA recently changed the spin endorsement to upright spin endorsement to clarify that it does not include the separate inverted spin endorsement. Spin endorsements must only be given by a qualified instructor who does that training under an AOC. The instructor must be authorised to give that particular training and the instructor must be specifically authorised in that particular type of aircraft.

 

My post in that other thread - magazine article by Rich Stowell - explains how to keep spinning simple for beginners. Typically, a basic upright spin endorsement doesn't go any further than fully developed spins with that technique. Plus the underpinning knowledge required by CASA. That's all you need to safely perform solo spins - as long as you follow Rich's recommendations to keep it simple.

 

If you want to go further with spinning you'll need to know much more to remain safe. Rich's book, The Light Airplane Pilot's Guide to Stall/Spin Awareness is the standard reference on the subject. I'm not recommending that anyone should buy it, not even aerobatic instructors however please note that Rich put an enormous amount of effort into researching the information in that book. I use it as my standard reference.

 

 

[djpacro]

An upright spin endorsement is a prerequisite for solo aerobatics.

 

Aerobatics will result in the occasional inadvertent spin - easily fixed if action is taken before the spin fully develops. However, sometimes a fully developed spin occurs immediately following a botched maneuver as Brian found out in the Lecomber Spin thread. Playing around with spins can also lead to difficulties with recoveries as Dave found out in that same thread. Both Brian and Dave were very experienced with spins, both believed they were doing the right thing but were in fact doing the wrong thing for too long.

 

So, anyone doing solo spins must consider in advance - what to do if it does not recover? The most likely cause is that you did the wrong thing.

 

 

[facthunter]

There has always been little pecularities with some aircraft. It's usually due to shielding of the rudder by the elevators, in the spin recovery situation. Quite a few aircraft are designed badly in this respect, and it is obvious by looking at them. (Most times but not always). You can predict a problem with certain designs. Some people would rather have a sexy looking plane than one which flys properly. Nev

 

 

[djpacro]

Exactly, Nev, or inadequate vertical surface area behind the cg and perhaps a poorly shaped fuselage. Some types get through the normal category testing but if the spin is left to develop will result in an unrecoverable spin mode:

 

Watch the video of the NASA tests on the Grumman Trainer here.

 

 

[facthunter]

Covers it. Get on to the wool tufts and watch where they are going.

 

Interesting that the spin had become unrecoverable without the chute. There would have been a few 'trick" things that might have been tried, but that was not the purpose of the Vid. Maybe one day we will get back to spin training.

 

The GA types Beech Piper and Cessna, tried to make good handling planes that you might argue,( but I would not agree) were OK to fly if you were trained to do something at the approach of a stall and stop it happening. All the above planes as far as I know were spin tested and being mass produced and having a comprehensive POH and load charts, could be expected to perform as they were designed to.

 

RAAus planes are nowhere near as predictable as they would vary greatly depending on the building, rigging, maintenance and loading.. When even jet transports can easily enter a spin, and our aircraft are as they are, we should go to spin training and EMT starting with ALL instructors and then for all "sport"pilots.

 

The majority of airline pilots around the world have not done it let alone keep current, though some do encourage their pilots to fly bugsmashers in their spare time. The simulator periods on stalling though, would be as good as the real thing, and the high altitude stuff is different to what we deal with at lower levels. Nev