I remember using the spoilers on a Mk 3 at Kenley in 1973. I also remember my second solo where I got rather a lot of height off the winch and deployed the spoilers as soon as I released the cable, but I was still going up rather quickly
. It wasn't until was half way down the down wind leg that I started loosing height and I had to extend before turning crosswind, as I was still too high
. Spoilers open all the way from cable release until just before touch down; Best of my three solos
The least said of my fist solo when I disappeared behind a line of trees on the down wind leg, the better
.
As they say, I learnt about flying from that.