On Thursday, September 19, 2019 at 8:27:43 PM UTC-7, Andy Blackburn wrote:
Tom,

I think you misread my post. No one ever practices spins at pattern height and I'd never recommend it. My point was that practicing spins and spin entry and recovery at altitude might save your life should a moment of distraction in the pattern lead to a departure. Never practicing spins at all leads you to trying to figure everything out for the first time at low altitude should the worst happen. Early recognition is half the battle.

Andy

On Thursday, September 19, 2019 at 12:59:47 AM UTC-5, 2G wrote:
Andy,

When you are down low (in the pattern) practice COORDINATED flight - that is what will save your ass, not a low-altitude spin recovery. This is just plain, simple common sense. Pilots, lots of them, who don't do this are getting killed, this is fact. Can you produce a SINGLE pilot who has done such a low altitude save?

Tom

Andy,

I didn't misread your post, but I am certain you misread mine:

"We are all saying the same things, the ONLY difference is the emphasis on priorities. We all say that glider pilots should fly coordinated and be taught spin recognition and recovery. I am only pointing out that this isn't totally working because pilots are still killing themselves with low altitude stall-spins. Personally, this happened to a friend of mine, and I witnessed a second friend very nearly kill himself doing exactly this."

To repeat, spin recognition and recovery training should be taught (and practiced). But I think you would agree that it is far better not to enter the spin in the first place, especially at low altitude. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here is an attempted spin recovery that didn't work:
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=LA

Tom