Bill,

In fact, at least according to US regs, a winch launch IS an aerobatic
manuever. But that wasn't my point. If normal recovery from a normal
operation places the pilot on the ragged edge of a deep stall, then I
think it best to characterize the operation as "ab"normal., requiring
reactions unique to that environment. And thus my toying with the term
aerobatic.

There remains a problem with this argument, however. Maybe the subject
of a different thread.

BTW, have you demonstrated this maneuver without revocery? IE, have you
left the controls in place to let the spin fully develop?