Originally Posted by
ShyTorque
I wonder how many would recognise when a spin has developed beyond the incipient stage and understand the differences in the required recovery actions?
Unless being done for fun or training, if the recovery is not started as soon as a wing drops, the pilot needs more training. I did over 20 turns in a Schweizer 1-26 but it was just for fun. When a student stalled a Blanik L-13 in a thermal and the rotation started I took over without debating where we were in spin development.
I had intentionally spun gliders several times before I started my SEL training. Shortly after solo I asked my instructor if we could do some spins. He said no, went and got some spin training, then said yes.
My ASW-19b took full rudder and full opposite aileron to provoke a spin entry. Never could keep it rotating. I never could get the ASW-28 to even start to spin. Neither allowed spins with ballast so could not explore what either did where it really mattered (trying to scratch away without dumping). Both were really well behaved and I never came close to an inadvertent spin entry in either. A fellow club member had a scare when his LS-4 snapped into spin entry during a low altitude save. Another club member died recently after stalling his Standard Cirrus in a low altitude save.
I was against the elimination of spin training. I don't think anyone who has not experienced that first half turn really understands how quickly it can happen.