Every pilot should experience spins
Introduction
Spins tend to provoke fear in pilots and flight instructors mainly because spins are exciting and unfamiliar. My friend, CFI Jim Schmidt, told me that when he demonstrates a spin to a pilot that has never experienced one there is a 50% chance that the pilot will exclaim “^@#&*” and 50% that he or she will gasp “$&@!#”. (I won’t print on this family oriented web site what the pilots actually say.)
Your impression of your first spin is likely to be that the airplane seems to be pointed straight down at the ground and rotating so rapidly that it is impossible to tell what is going on. Also, the transition to this mode of flight seems abrupt and unpredictable. Of course, these impressions are false. Once you become familiar with spins they feel quite normal.
All airplanes can spin and many airplanes are approved by the FAA for intentional spins. Airplanes not approved for spins may not recover easily or at all, so don’t spin them. Practice your spins in an approved airplane and use what you learn to prevent spins in non-approved airplanes.
Why spin?
The main reason you should experience spins is that without that experience your pilot training is incomplete. You should be concerned if you know your airplane can do something that you have never seen it do.
As a pilot you are familiar with normal and stalled flight. Spins are a third flight regime. Why not become familar with spins?
Some people argue that spin training will make you a safer pilot. I believe that is true, but I also concede that you can be a safe pilot without spinning. Inadvertent spins are rare and you are not likely to encounter one if you are properly trained and stay current in private pilot maneuvers.
On the other hand, inadvertent stalls and power failures are also rare, but every pilot practices them during flight training. Why not practice spins?
Perhaps there is a perception that spin practice itself is dangerous. Spin with plenty of altitude and a flight instructor experienced with spins in your type of airplane and you will have no trouble.
A final reason to spin is that spins are fun! After you get over the initial shock you will start to enjoy spinning just as much as other kinds of flight. You can even make a game out of spinning for an exact number of turns. In aerobatic competition a spin is considered just as precise a maneuver as a loop or a roll.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a new challenge or would like to expand your personal flight envelope, contact your favorite flight instructor for some spin training. You will probably enjoy it much more than you think.
Until next time, FLY MORE.