Post your spin training encouragement / success stories here

sounddoc

sounddoc

Well-Known Member
I finally got spin training out of the way today. I was terrified of doing it for the longest time (most of my PPL was done in a trauma-hawk, so I built a healthy respect for the stall series, and proper control inputs) but after today, I can't believe I was ever nervous about them! Although, I used an old 172, which has to be forced into a spin, it was still an absolute blast. The fun thing is that they really do have to be forced into a spin, and they pretty much fly themselves right out of them.

So, in an effort to help others who might be nervous about spin training, post your experiences here!

For myself; first spin was pretty terrifying, just the entry at least. Once the rotation started, it was like, 'hey...this is actually kind of fun'... By the end of the lesson, I felt like a kid at a waterpark at closing time; 'come on....just one more down the slide?! please?!'

Hope this helps someone.
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

Great, great fun in a Citabria and Super Decathlon with TwoTwoLeft. Liked it so much I did the full EMT course (one of these days I'll get down to Socal, do an inverted spin and be considered done with it, I literally have one lesson left that I couldn't finish before starting at Aperture). What a riot! I was apprehensive before but now I feel VERY confident flying an airplane. Becoming an all attitude pilot is awesome.

Everyone should have to do this before they become a private pilot.
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

sounddoc said:
I finally got spin training out of the way today. I was terrified of doing it for the longest time (most of my PPL was done in a trauma-hawk, so I built a healthy respect for the stall series, and proper control inputs) but after today, I can't believe I was ever nervous about them! Although, I used an old 172, which has to be forced into a spin, it was still an absolute blast. The fun thing is that they really do have to be forced into a spin, and they pretty much fly themselves right out of them.

So, in an effort to help others who might be nervous about spin training, post your experiences here!

For myself; first spin was pretty terrifying, just the entry at least. Once the rotation started, it was like, 'hey...this is actually kind of fun'... By the end of the lesson, I felt like a kid at a waterpark at closing time; 'come on....just one more down the slide?! please?!'

Hope this helps someone.
Click to expand...

I was nervous about spin training when I was first getting my private at 17 years of age ... but after the first time around, I fell in love.

Now, fifteen years later, I fly acro whenever I can. ^.^

You ain't spun until you've done an inverted flat spin with a competition recovery. <3

-Fox
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

Spin training ROCKS! I did mine for fun in a Citabria, not for the CFI spin endorsement but just because I wanted to learn to fly an airplane better (like Autothrust Blue said). The first entry is intimidating because you don't know exactly what to expect. I wasn't expecting the break to be such an abrupt snap-roll type maneuver, but after the first one I couldn't get enough of them. Can't wait to try an inverted flat!!! :)

Do yourself a favor: don't treat airplanes like aviation appliances to get you from A to B (to steal Boris's terminology), go out with an instructor and learn to spin an airplane... Explore the edges of the envolope a little bit (safely, of course). Not only will it make you a better pilot, you'll feel more comfortable in the airplane. For instance I had some anxiety over abrupt wing-drops during stalls back in PPL training, but thanks to the spin training I can now recognize the signs and sensations leading up to a spin entry. Thus stalls (especially turning and accelerated stalls) and slow flight are now much more comfortable since that fear of the unknown is gone.

Oh, and acro ROCKS!!!
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

In the Navy, that's one maneuver we teach studs in primary that most seem to really get a bit worked up over. It is done for two reasons, one, the obvious to get out of an inadvertent spin (which has happened a few times) and two, to create confidence. In the T-34C and I'm sure the T-6B, the pilots are in hot mic and I could hear the heavy breathing and sometimes, some yelling from the front seat lol I don't recall my first spin as a student but I assume it was the same reaction as my studs. As a primary IP, I've done hundreds of spins and even got to spin the T-2C Buckeye, which by the way, was not fun. The T-2C goes through ugly PSG's before it enters into a spin.
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

Autothrust Blue said:
Oh, yes. :D

(For those who are confused, see here)
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That syllabus looks fantastic! the other FBO at my base offers a full acro course in a decathalon. It's very tempting, but i'm career minded, and every penny counts unfortunately. Acro stuff aside, I'm now wishing my primary training included more of the upset training, including spins.
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

My primary instructor was a bit of a cowboy (figuratively and literally)... he took me through loops, spins, rolls, and hammerheads during a normal lesson in a standard 150 back when I was a 15 year old student pilot. Because of his laid back, slow-to-react-to-anything attitude, it was fun but just seemed like any other lesson. I think people get anxious because the typical training program presents stalls as this abnormal condition you must defeat to live, and spins...well that's really flirting with death! In reality it's all just aerodynamics and performance and while people should have a healthy respect for what can go wrong, I think a level head and understanding of the various flight conditions go much further than widely-held fear and mystery that the current initiative seems to produce.
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

sounddoc said:
That syllabus looks fantastic! the other FBO at my base offers a full acro course in a decathalon. It's very tempting, but i'm career minded, and every penny counts unfortunately. Acro stuff aside, I'm now wishing my primary training included more of the upset training, including spins.
Click to expand...
I don't care, go fly the Decathlon, it will make you a better airman. (Says the career minded guy.)

I'm pretty sure I didn't know how to really fly until I flew EMT.
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

Glad to hear you like it!

I make sure to offer and encourage spin training to all of my private students (as long as the promise promise promise that they won't go out and do them solo) when I teach part-61. The 'career minded' airplane driver producing part-141 university I do most of my teaching at only allows it once during the CFI course, and even then it is a big taboo subject. :whatever:

Keep it up and go for the aerobatics course! Better yet - do it in a glider! :)
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

tlewis95 said:
Glad to hear you like it!

I make sure to offer and encourage spin training to all of my private students (as long as the promise promise promise that they won't go out and do them solo) when I teach part-61. The 'career minded' airplane driver producing part-141 university I do most of my teaching at only allows it once during the CFI course, and even then it is a big taboo subject. :whatever:

Keep it up and go for the aerobatics course! Better yet - do it in a glider! :)
Click to expand...

I own 1/8 of a C150 aerobat...the fact that I haven't taken up Acro at 300+TT is a crime-it's time to get some acro instruction in. Atleast I've done spins...
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

If you can't spin a 150, you don't get to ride up front with a Real Pilot (tm). Head em up, move em out!

slim-pickens_riding-the-bo-copy.jpg
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

A150K said:
I own 1/8 of a C150 aerobat...the fact that I haven't taken up Acro at 300+TT is a crime-it's time to get some acro instruction in. Atleast I've done spins...
Click to expand...

Does your aerobat have the 150 conversion?
 
tlewis95 said:
Glad to hear you like it!

I make sure to offer and encourage spin training to all of my private students (as long as the promise promise promise that they won't go out and do them solo) when I teach part-61. The 'career minded' airplane driver producing part-141 university I do most of my teaching at only allows it once during the CFI course, and even then it is a big taboo subject. :whatever:

Keep it up and go for the aerobatics course! Better yet - do it in a glider! :)
Click to expand...

I pretty much expect my glider students to see a spin demonstration before they solo. When they are ready, it gives them confidence - that it can safely recover, and they won't panic.

Talk the whole way through it! A students eyes and ears need to be involved, as it is a totally foreign experience for most.
 
Re: Post your spin training encouragement / success stories

drunkenbeagle said:
Talk the whole way through it! A students eyes and ears need to be involved, as it is a totally foreign experience for most.
Click to expand...

I think this is really important, and understated... as with most aerobatic maneuvers, spins tend to induce a 'what the )!@(*$! is happening?!' reaction in those unfamiliar with them. The world as they know it has suddenly changed, and a steady dialog is something that WILL stick VERY well.

The best flight instructor I've ever had, a gentleman of impeccable airmanship and instructional prowess by the name of Yuichi Takagi, still talks me through aerobatic maneuvers when I fly them all by myself... even the ones we never did together. It's quite a trip, actually. :>

-Fox
 
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