(Mark James Boyd) wrote in message news:401166ad$1@darkstar...
In article ,
JJ Sinclair wrote:
It's winter, I'm bored and I haven't started any good controversies (this year)
so here goes:

In the early 50's the USAF had a policy to give jump training to all aircrew
personnel. They soon learned that they were getting twice the injuries in
training that they were experiencing in real bail-outs. They decided to stop
the actual jump training and just give PLF and kit deployment, etc training.

So, JJ asks, In light of recent events that show its been reining Puchaz's, Do
we really want to teach full blown spins? Isn't spin entry and immediate
recovery, all we should be doing?

JJ Sinclair

With three times as many fatalities in training than flying (helicopters),
one wonders the wisdom of practicing hundreds of autorotations during
helicopter training as well.

I once asked an instructor to demonstrate a spin in a two-seat
aircraft I was transitioning into. His answer: "I'd rather not to."
After some discussion he absolutely refused to do any spins,
apparently out of fear. In my opinion this guy should have been
stripped of his FAA ratings. Somebody who hasn't spun a glider and
recovered should not be allowed to carry passangers, much less to
instruct. A spin is a well-behaved, predictable flight regime that is
documented in the aircraft manual (of most gliders). Somebody unable
or unwilling to enter this flight regime is incompetent and can not
call himself a pilot in my opinion.