Ol Shy & Bashful wrote:
If you haven't done any spins lately, why not? Have you ever gotten a
good spin checkout? Do you really understand what happens to get you
into a spin? Do you understand what is happening during a spin? Do you
know the proper technique for getting out of a spin in the airplane
you are flying?
Most importantly, do you realize a low altitude spin is virtually a
death sentence? A pilot who is properly trained in spins knows how to
avoid getting into them inadvertantly and especially below 1000'agl.
Every year pilots do a stall/spin accident and people die. Why should
this be? I'm really sick and tired of flight instructors who are
afraid of doing stalls and have NEVER done a spin because they are
afraid of them. How do you think that transfers to their students? I
see it when I do checkouts for pilots who are new to our operation or
request some training or a flight review.
Hopefully this will regenerate some discussion here and maybe save
some lives in the process?
Ol Shy & Bashful - Soaring Buzzard
World Infamous pilot/Instructor

Hi Rocky;
I share your comment about spin training and encourage every pilot,
especially instructors to seek out and become proficient in spins.

That being said, I should add that I have been a cogent advocate of spin
training for many years and in doing so have taken on the powers that be
from the local FBO to the highest levels of the FAA.
I've found that part of the problem is a factor that I for one have to
admit, the proponents (the owners of the fleet aircraft) have a valid
position that has to be addressed when encouraging spin training at the
level of the average FBO. For the specialized operation that has
aircraft and instructors available for this express purpose it's a non
issue, but for the average flight school it's a question that for the
most part is hard to deal with.
The main gripe many FBO's have with spin training is first of all
qualified instructors to do the training, AND another gripe that has to
be addressed.
You can do spin training in the utility category and if all recoveries
are made without over stress, using these airplanes shouldn't be a
problem. You can, for example, use a Cessna 152 all day long for spin
training and have no issues, BUT, when you start extending turns and
botching recoveries, you can easily get into over g situations with
these airplanes.
For the average FBO with a plane on the line for flight instruction,
this is a legitimate beef.
What I'm saying is that I agree on the spin issue, but understand why
many FBO's are reluctant to offer this training. They just can not find
enough instructors who are competent enough to insure that a utility
category aircraft won't be overstressed due to bad recovery technique by
the instructor giving the dual.
My answer to this issue has been the same for many years now. I highly
recommend that ALL pilots seek out and obtain spin training from an
authorized training facility with both aircraft and instructors
qualified to give that training.
CFI candidates especially, should seek out and obtain not only spin
training, but some serious upset and recovery training before becomming
instructors. The difference between an instructor who can do spins and
one who is fully qualified and capable of recovering a student's botched
maneuver WITHOUT OVER STRESSING THE AIRPLANE is a world apart!!!

I honestly don't know if there IS a viable solution for training every
pilot learning to fly in the United States on how to do spins.

The problems involving access to the right aircraft at a decent price,
properly trained instructors, addressing the current FAA regulations
which are totally inadequate addressing this issue at this point in
time, and the ingrained mindset (totally inadequate as far as I'm
concerned)that being able to recover from the stall negates the spin
that serves the FAA, the FBO, and the manufacturer's position rather
than addressing the "properly trained pilot's" position, might very well
be insurmountable for general aviation.

The bottom line on this issue has for the most part already been decided
by the high spin accident rate CAUSED by improperly trained instructors
attempting spin training with students. The accident rate indicates to
the FAA that spin training in general isn't worth the cost. Based on
that logic, I'm afraid little will be done to encourage spin training at
the local level and indeed might very well end up discouraging this
training altogether.

It's a sad picture, but probably not a total loss.
New pilots coming up the ladder will have to be encouraged by those of
us who have seen the need for this training to go get it where it can be
had.
In the end, all we can change is what we CAN change. This is why I spend
as much time on these forums as I do. I assume this is your reason as
well. I just hope all that time doesn't go to waste.
Hopefully, we've managed to reach a few people and make them safer
pilots by passing on the "good word".


--
Dudley Henriques