Lesson: Spins

Objective: The student must have the knowledge and understanding of

situations that can lead to a spin as well as the proper
execution of and recovery from a spin

Elements: -Anxiety factors relating to spins

-Aerodynamics of spins

-Airworthiness category and spin approval

-Relationship of various factors (CG, weight, configuration,

coordination) to spins

-Flight situations where they can occur

-Recovery

-Intentional entry

Instructors

Actions: Attention Getter: UND Aerocast Spins Video

Development: -Discuss anxiety factors relating to spins

-Discuss aerodynamics of spins

-Discuss airworthiness category and spin

approval

-Discuss various factors and their effects

-Discuss flight situations where spins occur

-Discuss intentional entry and recovery

Conclusion: Ask summary questions

- What is a spin?

- How do you recover from a spin?

- Can we intentionally spin the Cessna?

- When do spin situations usually occur?

 - How do we see what direction we are spinning?

Students

Actions: Assignment: Watch UND Aerocast video

Development: Ask and actively answer questions

Conclusion: Answer summary questions

Completion

Standards: Student must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of spins

including (1) what causes them, (2) when they occur and (3) how
to properly recover from one
Spins

A. Anxiety factors associated with spin instruction

a. Feared by many pilots
b. Learning the cause of a spin and the proper techniques to prevent/ recover
from them often removes mental anxiety and many causes of unintentional
spins
c. The use of spin instruction will increase your spin awareness and add
confidence in your ability to be a safe pilot

B. Aerodynamics of spins
a. Aggravated stall that results in what is termed “autorotation” a situation in
which the airplane follows a corkscrew path in a downward direction-yaw
and roll motion
b. Two conditions must exist
i. Airplane must be in a stall
ii. Airplane must be in uncoordinated flight
c. If the nose of the airplane is allowed to yaw at the beginning of a stall the
wing will drop in the direction of the stall
i. Unless rudder is applied to prevent the way the airplane begins to
slip toward the lowered wing
ii. The slip causes the airplane to weathervane into the relative wind-
toward the lower wing continuing the yaw
iii. Lowered wing is more stalled, upper wing is less stalled
iv. Lower wing has an increasing angle of attack due to the change in
relative wind
v. Raised wing has a lesser angle of attack due to the relative wing
d. At the same time the airplane continues to roll to the lowered wing
i. The lowered wing has an increasingly greater AoA and suffers
an extreme loss of lift and an increase in drag
ii. Since the relative wind is striking the wing at a smaller angle the
rising wing has a smaller AoA than the opposite wing-the rising
wing becomes less stalled and develops lift so that the airplane
continues to roll
e. In order to spin both wings must first be stalled, then one stalls more than
the other
f. Four phases
i. Entry- stall and uncoordinated flight occur causing a wing to dip
 ii. Incipient-when a final balancing of aerodynamic and inertial
forces has not yet occurred, transition from a stall to a spin. Will
take up to 2 turns to fully form into a spin
iii. Fully Developed- spin is fully developed and the aerodynamic
forces and inertial forces are in equilibrium. Airspeed is stable,
there is a full stall, turn rotation and attitude are constant , and all
forces are equal (thrust=drag)(weight=lift)
iv. Recovery-when controls are applied to stop the spin and when
level flight is attained. When the AoA of the wings decreases
below the cAoA and begin generating sufficient lift again by
pointing the nose down.
g. Use of rudder is important during a stall by maintaining directional control
and not allowing the nose to yaw
h. Use of Ailerons makes inner wing more stalled and will increase the spins
speed
 Approximately
2 turns

500 fpm/turn

turn=3/5 seconds

(most training
aircraft)

¼ -½ turn
C. Airplanes approved for the spin maneuver based on airworthiness category and
type certificate
a. The INTENTIONAL SPINNING of an airplane for which spin maneuvers
is not specifically approved is NOT encouraged and is NOT authorized by
the FAR’s
 b. Official sources for determining if the spin maneuver is approved for a
specific airplane are:
i. The airplane’s type certificate and data sheet
ii. The statement on a placard located in the airplane
iii. The POH- less fuel, no seats, bring CG forward (Utility category)

D. Relationship of various factors such as configuration, weight, CG, and control

coordination to spins
a. Since a stall is a prerequisite for a spin they are the same as a stall
a. Airspeed- controlled primarily by the elevator
i) If the speed is too slow the AoA required for level
flight will be so large that the air can no longer follow
the upper curvature of the wing the result will be
separation of airflow from the wing, loss of lift, a large
increase in drag, and eventually a stall if the AoA is not
reduced
ii) A stall can occur at any time, at any power setting, and
at any attitude
iii) Stall is an excessive amount of AoA not airspeed
b. Configuration- flap extension increases lift, which lowers our stall
speed
c. Weight- increased gross weight requires a higher AoA at any given
airspeed to produce the additional amount of lift needed for the weight,
this means the CAoA will be exceeded at a higher stall speed
d. C.G.
i) Aft CG: the airplane flies at a lower AoA at a given
stall speed
ii) The CAoA will be exceeded at a lower airspeed,
however the airplane is less stable because less elevator
force is needed to disturb its equilibrium
iii) With an extremely aft CG the nose wants to pitch down
making recovery even harder- if a spin is entered it
could be a flat spin
iv) Forward CG: will cause the CAoA to be reached at a
higher airspeed
v) It is easier to recover because the airplane has a
tendency to pitch down
b. Load Factor- the airplanes stall speed increases in proportion to the
square root of the load factor. Load factor- ratio of the lifting force
created by the wings to the actual weight of the airplane and its
contents-usually expressed in G’s. Example- an airplane with a normal
 unaccelerated stall speed of 45kt can be stalled at 90kt when subjected
to a load factor of 4Gs
c. Snow, ice, or frost on the wings can increase the stall speed
d. Turbulence- can cause the airplane to stall at significantly higher
airspeeds. vertical gusts can change the relative wind and as a result
abruptly change the AoA
e. Bank angle – (related back to load factor) 60 degrees = 2 Gs and 70
degrees = 3 Gs

E. Flight situations where unintentional spins may occur

a. Stalling the airplane while executing a turn with excessive/insufficient
rudder
b. Critical phases of flight for stall/spin accidents are:
i. Takeoff and departure
ii. Approach and landing and go-around
iii. Engine failure
c. Spins can occur when practicing stalls with:
i. Uncoordinated flight control input
ii. Aileron deflection at CAoA

F. How to recognize and recover from imminent, unintentional spins

a. Continued practice will help you develop a more instinctive and prompt
reaction in recognizing an approaching spin
b. Learn to apply immediate corrective action anytime it is apparent that your
airplane is near a spin condition
c. If an unintentional spin can be avoided, it should be
d. Release the spin inducing controls by applying opposite rudder and
forward elevator pressure

G. Entry procedure and minimum entry altitude for intentional spins (STAN 3-18)
a. Two 90 clearing turns-ensure you look below
b. Select an altitude that will allow you to recover by 4000 AGL
c. Select suitable ground reference points to allow a specified predetermined
number of turns
d. Reduce the throttle to idle
e. After reducing power maintain a constant altitude in level flight while
decelerating to 70kts
f. Pitch the airplane down to establish a normal approach attitude
g. Set flaps up
 h. Establish a stabilized descent while maintaining a specified heading/bank
angle
i. Establish and maintain a coordinated landing pitch attitude
j. As the airplane stalls add full aft elevator and apply full rudder in direction
of desired rotation
k. Maintain proper control deflections throughout the spin
l. Count the revolutions by half turns
m. Spins shall be limited to two turns (Standards)

H. Control procedure to maintain a stabilized spin

a. Maintain full back elevator pressure to keep the wings stalled
b. Maintain full rudder in the direction of the spin to keep the nose yawing
c. Maintain neutral ailerons

I. Orientation during a spin

a. Selecting an outside reference point and use your turning coordinator
b. Gyroscopic instruments may tumble and be unreliable
c. In an inadvertent spin your turn coordinator will provide you with the best
reference of the spin’s direction

J. Recovery procedure and minimum recovery altitude for intentional spins (STAN
3-18)
a. Verify that the throttle is in idle position and ailerons are neutral
- Ailerons neutral: left turn, left ailerons (tighten turn) left turn, right aileron (more
lift and drag- still tighten turn)
- Throttle idle: to decreases the angle of attack, it has nothing to do with airspeed
b. Within ¼ of a turn before the desired heading, apply and hold full opposite
rudder to stop the rotation
c. Just after rudder reaches the stop, move the control wheel briskly forward
far enough to break the stall
d. Hold these control inputs until rotation stops
e. As rotation stops, neutralize rudder, and make a smooth recovery from the
resulting dive