Chukar's own account

Glad to see that Bob survived, in spite of a lot of factors and circumstances that conspired and accumulated into a very dangerous situation.

As far as spin training, I remember my father (a pilot since 1939 until 1986) grumpily complaining that, once the FAA removed spin training from the pilot training syllabus that it was like saying to a bunch of new naval cadets, "We're not going to teach you how to swim. We are going to teach you how to not fall off the boat."

Since then I have heard that from a number of other sources, including the beloved and eloquent commentator on soaring, the late Gren Siebels. It is still true. I just wish that spin training, and not just recognition/avoidance was more widely available. Personally, I LIKE spins. They are exciting and demonstrate a high descent rate without unduly stressing the airframe. Just make sure you have about twice the altitude you think you need for the recovery.

I watch civilian airshow performers regularly spin, both upright and inverted and it is just amazing to watch. Done correctly, it is just another tool in the box. Upset training, as it is referred to, is a great thing. Let's face it, crap happens, and as a previous post noted, it is because we let it happen. Knowing how to get out of it is a desirable skill.

As far as complaining that the British actually teach cloud flying, so what? If they weren't willing and able to fly in the "fifty shades of grey," they wouldn't get much airtime at all in that soggy, green country. As a friend and mentor (a WW II fighter pilot) once told me, "The Brits are the best pilots in the world. Nobody else can fly in this crap and enjoy it."