From 1972 to 1999 I was a CAA appointed FIE and thoroughly enjoyed testing aspiring new instructors as well as renewing the ratings of existing instructors, some with longer at it than I had. From time to time I encountered the odd individual who was quite clearly afraid of spinning, at times to an almost paranoic extent. I did find that discussion and demonstration usually overcame the problem.
On one occasion, as an FIC instructor operating Cessna 150's, I had a student who was an ex-RAF truckie with zillions of hours on C130's and who had always been afraid of spinning. He could fly a demo spin or he could patter it but not both at the same time due to the, for him, terrifying view outside the windscreen. I got him over this hurdle by getting him to enter, spin and recover with his eyes firmly closed while he pattered the demonstration successfully. After four faultless demos he realised that it was a piece of **** so he opened his eyes and had absolutely no further problems.
I fear we now have a generation of instructors who learned to fly without doing any spinning and who have never developed any real confidence in their ability to operate their aeroplane right up to and beyond the edge of the envelope. I do accept that some have but there are many who have not.
Cheers,
Trapper 69
