3 ways to spin

What makes an airplane the perfect spin machine?

Virtually all airplanes will spin if provoked—that is, if allowed to exceed the critical angle of attack while performing an uncoordinated maneuver. But we don’t want to spin in virtually all aircraft, and this is why we practice stall recognition and recovery—to keep out of that situation—and spin recovery, if it happens anyway.

Normal category aircraft are placarded against aerobatic maneuvers, including spins. During certification tests, Normal category aircraft must demonstrate recovery from a one-turn spin or a three-second spin, whichever takes longer, in not more than one additional turn after the pilot has initiated the first control action for recovery. Some additional requirements are set out in Part 23 of the federal aviation regulations.

An airplane that has been certified in the Acrobatic category has been tested to ensure that it will recover from fully developed spins within one and one-half additional turns. Certification in this category also requires six turns or three seconds, whichever takes longer, before recovery control inputs are applied. For airplanes with two or more seats, there must be an emergency exit, unless the airplane has a canopy.

A Utility category aircraft may be tested under Normal (one turn) spin criteria, or Acrobatic (six turns). However, if approved for spins, it must meet the spinning requirements for both Normal and Acrobatic category airplanes as well as the applicable emergency exit requirements. Cessna 172s are certified for spins in the Utility category.

With all of those requirements now spinning in your head, which are some of the most popular spin machines? Here are three, ranging from the modest Cessna 150/152 to the high-end, high-performance Extra, with some of their traits and talents.

Cessna 150/153 Aerobat

The modest two-seat trainer that taught a generation to fly also taught many to spin—and loop, and roll. Cessna produced 1,483 Aerobat versions of its popular two-seat 150 and 152. In general, the Aerobat has greater structural strength than its trainer and commuter cousins, and was built to withstand plus-6/minus-3 G forces. Couple that with the Cessna’s well-known stable handling and a minimum 100-horsepower engine, and you have a perfect platform for spin training. The 152 Aerobat was the vehicle of choice for the late William K. Kershner, who used one to teach spins at his Ace Aerobatic School in Sewanee, Tennessee. His 152 Orville is on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

Aerobat specs
Primary construction: Aluminum monocoque
Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C
Horsepower: 110
Top speed: 110 knots
Wingspan: 32 feet, 8.5 inches
Gross weight: 1,600 pounds
G limit: +6/-3
Roll rate: Less than 100 degrees per second
Average cost: $29,000

"If you exceed the limit load factors, you'll bend the airplane. If you exceed the ultimate load factors, you could break the airplane."
—William K. Kershner

American Champion Decathlon

The tailwheel Decathlon is a step-up aircraft from Champion Aircraft’s Citabria aerobatic trainer. The two-place tandem-seat Decathlon is certified in both Normal and Acrobatic categories, and sports a 150-horsepower engine as well as tube-and-fabric construction. It is certified to sustain stresses between plus 6 and minus 5 Gs. The Super Decathlon and the Xtreme Decathlon are available with 180- and 210-horsepower engines, respectively. American Champion Aircraft Corporation now owns the Decathalon designs. Airshow performer Greg Koontz flies a Decathlon and also uses one to teach spin training and aerobatics at his private grass airstrip in Ashville, Alabama.

"It feels good. You add the power, the rate of roll, and they made a dynamite airplane out of it."
—Greg Koontz

Extra

Airshow enthusiasts know the Extra, a high-performance speed demon that is a mainstay of shows, air races, and aerobatic competitions. Named for its designer, Walter Extra, the sleek airplane has single and two-seat versions. Notable features include carbon fiber wings and carbon composite empennage. The single-seat Extra 330SC features a 315-horsepower engine and has a certified load factor of plus or minus 10 Gs. Patty Wagstaff flies an Extra 300S with a modified 350-horsepower engine in her airshow routine. For you, Extra designed the Extra 200, which offers a 200-horsepower engine (but also has a certified load factor of plus or minus 10 Gs).

Extra 300L specs
Primary construction: Steel tube, fabric, and composite material
Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5
Horsepower: 300
Top speed: 160 knots
Wingspan: 24 feet, 3 inches
Gross weight: 2,095 pounds
G limit: +10/-10
Roll rate: 400 degrees per second
Average cost: $350,000

"When you take off, you're released. You're unchained. It's just pure freedom."
—Patty Wgstaff