Where are two kinds of pilots in this world—those who have spun an airplane and those who should.
Without question, a spin is the most important maneuver that isn’t required in order to earn a pilot certificate. It hasn’t
always been this way. For nearly half of aviation’s relatively brief history it was mandatory to demonstrate an uncoordinated stall with autorotation to earn your wings. Many believe that should still be the case.
The arguments for why are obvious. Whether the reason is to get over a fear of stalls, fly the airplane throughout the entire envelope, avoid inadvertent stalls, or just to have fun, there are dozens of reasons to go for a whirl. The arguments against doing so are a bit more complicated. As writer Kevin Murphy points out in his story, “To Spin or Not to Spin” (p. 40), a concern over training safety and a shift in focus to avoiding these situations became the standard.
The old line that spins were eliminated from the curriculum because it was believed more people were dying
in training than during the inadvertent variety is only partially correct. In the proper airplane, under the proper conditions, with the proper instructor, spin training is rewarding, educational, eye- opening, a great boost of confidence—and loads of fun.
A great place to start is by learning the what, where, why, and how of spins. Our cover story, “Spinning 101,” beginning on p. 34, fills in all the blanks. Writer Catherine Cavagnaro is a spin expert who trains in the classic Cessna 152 Aerobat.
Many hardcore aerobatic enthusiasts pan the Aerobat as a weak acro machine, but they are missing the point. Aerobatics requires a focus on energy management, and in nothing is that more pronounced than the Aerobat. You can get initial spin training in this beefed-up 152, or go for the big leagues and try for the Extra series of aircraft. These fire-breathing beasts are purpose-built for hardcore aerobatics, and they do a fine job of it. Read about these two airplanes, and exactly what it takes for an airplane to be spin certified in “Three Ways to Spin,” beginning on p. 44.
The aircraft described in the story are all certified for spins—in any and all directions. If you remember that an airplane can stall at any attitude and at any airspeed, it’s only natural that any airplane can therefore spin at any attitude and any airspeed, which is true. When a spin is performed at an accelerated rate it’s called a snap roll, the focus of this month’s “Technique,” beginning
on p. 48.
If all these stories don’t get you excited to go out and make the ground spiral into a blur, we don’t know what will. Spins may seem scary, nauseating, or a bit crazy. But most people who learn from the pros say there is nothing better to make you feel like a more complete pilot.
Happy spinning!
Related Articles
