Spinning a C172

tprops4me

tprops4me

Well-Known Member
Has anyone ever done spins in a C-172 that had a forward CG, but the weight was higher than the utility category allowed. I know they are only supposed to be spun in the utility category, but sometimes the numbers might not work out. Are you ok with doing them as long as the cg is forward?
 
yup, less fuel is the only option. It can be tight, and more difficult to get a developed spin. Flaps and power can help, but you risk exceeding limitations on the recovery.
 
tprops4me said:
Has anyone ever done spins in a C-172 that had a forward CG, but the weight was higher than the utility category allowed. I know they are only supposed to be spun in the utility category, but sometimes the numbers might not work out. Are you ok with doing them as long as the cg is forward?
Click to expand...

I've done it in the condition described.... it's a little harder to actually get into the spin... 'course then the semi-confident CFI does this weird power plus aileron plus opposite rudder sorta rain dance thing..... and after a few attempts the mystic spin is entered.

Also - spinning a 172 is very anti-climactic.. the controls are so mushy and unresponsive. I would humbly suggest getting real spin training in something like a Pitts or Extra... explore the entire spectrum. Flats, inverted flats, etc.

I would normally go on a rant about how 172 spin endorsements aren't worth the paper they're signed on... but that's more typing and stuff.
 
I've spun a number of high performance aerobatic airplanes. But the one that caught me off guard was a Grob-103 sailplane. Those are interesting to take into a full spin.
 
How so?
Click to expand...

They really oscillate from a very nose high to a very nose low attitude. I figured it would be a nice gentle motion but no. Also if you ever fly a glider you dont have to break the stall by going stick forward to recover once you stop the turning motion. Trust me. I did this the first time I recovered a 103 from a stall because thats what I always did in airplanes, I just about threw me and the instructor threw the canopy with how hard it nosed over when I did so. It was fun. It as the only time I ever heard my instructor lose his cool and respond with " What the hell are you doing up there"
 
ryan1234]I would humbly suggest getting real spin training in something like a Pitts or Extra... explore the entire spectrum. Flats said:
They really oscillate from a very nose high to a very nose low attitude. I figured it would be a nice gentle motion but no. Also if you ever fly a glider you dont have to break the stall by going stick forward to recover once you stop the turning motion. Trust me. I did this the first time I recovered a 103 from a stall because thats what I always did in airplanes, I just about threw me and the instructor threw the canopy with how hard it nosed over when I did so. It was fun. It as the only time I ever heard my instructor lose his cool and respond with " What the hell are you doing up there"
Click to expand...

I've had a Decathlon oscillate like that...but we were inverted.
 
Thanks fOr the replies. The reason I ask is that I am going up this weekend to deal with my fear of spin entries. It just got me thinking about how a power on stall can go south and turn into an incipient spin. With full tanks and a couple of beef eaters up front, both the student and cfi could easily find themselves out of the utility envelope. So having said that, is the spin entry, or incipient spin, allowable as long as it does not develop into a full blown spin?
 
poser765 said:
*caugh* bull *caugh*
Click to expand...

Nope. No bull. +1 for Top Gun reference there, Iceman.

Explanation: I'm a rather tall (leggy) person and fly that airplane with the seat all the way back. It turns out that with my (front) seat all the way back, you can't push the stick all the way forward. The aircraft stalled, then unstalled, then stalled again, then unstalled, oscillating in pitch.
 
tprops4me said:
Thanks fOr the replies. The reason I ask is that I am going up this weekend to deal with my fear of spin entries. It just got me thinking about how a power on stall can go south and turn into an incipient spin. With full tanks and a couple of beef eaters up front, both the student and cfi could easily find themselves out of the utility envelope. So having said that, is the spin entry, or incipient spin, allowable as long as it does not develop into a full blown spin?
Click to expand...

You'll have a fwd. CG. Good luck getting it to enter a spin at all. Every 172 I ever flew, you had to force it super hard to spin.
 
mshunter said:
You'll have a fwd. CG. Good luck getting it to enter a spin at all. Every 172 I ever flew, you had to force it super hard to spin.
Click to expand...

I have done a ton of them. Sure, they don't spin as good as a Pitts or Extra, but lets be honest, a Pitts or Extra is not at every flight school to rent. For spin endorsements they get the job done. The key is to get plenty of altitude and hold that rudder to the floor to get it spinning good. Most people let off the rudder way too soon.

Heck, by the time you get to altitude you have probably burned enough fuel to get in the utility category. If not, just practice some steep turns or something...
 
Autothrust Blue said:
Absolutely. Not to mention, at least where I'm at, you can rent them for under $100/hour.
Click to expand...
At one point within the last 5 years our 141 University flight school (read: expensive) had 2 Citabrias for rent at 68/hour wet. Talk about a steal.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I did the spin thing today, and was amazed at how hard it was to get to spin. I really learned a lot about what the plane can and can't do. Great experience.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top