The European authorities (initially JAA, later EASA) when first evaluating the Cirrus SR20 agreed with the principles of the FAA/ELOS approach but had some further questions. A series of spins was performed on their initiative. While not a complete formal program they reported no unusual characteristics.
How many "modern" aircraft not specifically certified for spinning are fully tested during the certification process. I suspect the answer is very few, if any. In reality you should perhaps be concerned to be flying almost every aircraft if this is your criteria.
Spinning was dropped from the PPL syllabus many years ago - some agree, some dont. The fact is how many pilots would successfully recover from an unintentional spin? Possibly not that many, and that is assuming they have the height in which to do so.
I am happy to admit that the first time I went "spinning" I found the experience quite disorientating and I had already done some basic aerobatic training before. Of course with a little time you are aware of what the aircraft is doing and what you need to do - but that is true of many things.
d. Following an abused control entry stall controllability demonstration, the aircraft must respond
immediately and normally without unreversed use of the controls and without exceeding the temporary
control forces specified in § 23.143(c) to regain coordinated unstalled flight.
The FAA also determined, as stated in the ELOS, that the probability of high altitude loss of control is very
low. In the event that control is lost, the CAPS system provides an effective means to protect the occupants.
The departure resistance aspects of the ELOS are primary, but the presence of the CAPS system is an
additional risk mitigating feature due to its ability to recover the aircraft in less than 1000 feet.
In its presentation to the JAA Sectorial Team on February 26, 2003, the FAA re-stated its philosophy. The
primary focus is to prevent departure from controlled flight / spin entry, through three aspects.
• First, the FAA found that the enhanced stall handling characteristics are based on the intent of the spin
resistance requirements.
• Second, the FAA found that the improved departure resistance addresses the real issue driving the
accident rate – inadvertent departure from controlled flight – and that this supports the US Department
Of Transportation’s safety mandate.
• Third, the FAA concluded that the Cirrus wing treatment and handling characteristics are parallel to
NASA research.
The FAA’s secondary focus of addressing these accidents is the low altitude departure recovery being possible
using the CAPS system, The FAA noted that the CAPS system recovers the airplane in the same or less
altitude than airplanes in the same class take to recover from the one-turn spin requirement of sec. 23.221. The
FAA saw the stall handling characteristics providing the ability to recover from a stall without losing control
or entering a spin, and the CAPS system as a second line of defense. (John Colomy, FAA, address to the
Sectorial Team on 26 February 2003)
JAA Requested Items
1. Provide additional information on SR20 Stall characteristics and Spin behavior.
Cirrus engaged in an extensive flight test program to investigate the stall characteristics and spin behavior of
the Cirrus SR 20, with over 60 spin entries, and the stall and departure preceding the spin entries.
a. Stall Behavior
i. Requirements. See above ELOS text for requirements. After this flight test program,
Cirrus continues to believe that the standards set in the ELOS are correct. The stall
departure standards set for the SR20 simulate realistic inadvertent stall situations.
ii. Results. The SR20 meets or exceeds the ELOS requirements in all required
configurations. See SR20 TIR for detail on stall results in Appendix 2. The Airplane
retains roll control throughout the stall. The airplane can be rolled from 15 degrees of
bank in one direction to 15 degrees of bank in the other direction with the stick full back
with typical pilot skill.
iii. Comments. FAA and JAA test pilots have formally and informally flown the SR20 and
agree that the aircraft meets or exceeds the ELOS requirements, is tolerant of slow speed
uncoordinated control movements, and provides the pilot with significant time and
indications to apply corrections.
CRI B-2 Page 4 of 21
b. Spin Behavior
i. Test Matrix. A limited investigation of the SR20 spin behavior has been completed and
results are contained in Cirrus Design reports 12419, title, and 15568, title. The incipient
spin and recovery characteristics were examined during more than 60 total spin entries
covering the following configurations.
Configuration1
Normal Spins
Level Entry C.G.
Clean-Power Off
Takeoff-Power Off
Landing-Power Off
Clean-Power On
1 Left & 1 Right
1 Left & 1 Right
1 Left & 1 Right
1 Left & 1 Right
Fwd2, Mid, Aft
Fwd
Fwd
Fwd2
1. All spins conducted at gross weight.
2. Also evaluated accelerated entries, 30 degree banked turn entries, and effects of ailerons against
the spin direction.
ii. Results. The aircraft recovered within one turn in all cases examined. Recovery controls
were to reduce power, neutralize ailerons, apply full rudder opposite to spin, and to apply
immediate full forward (nose down) pitch control. Altitude loss from spin entry to
recovery ranged from 1,200 – 1,800 feet. Detail results can be found in the above
referenced reports.
iii. Comments. No spin matrix less than that prescribed in AC23-8A or AC23-15, can
determine that all configurations are recoverable. It must be assumed that the SR20 has
some unrecoverable characteristics. In the SR20 proper execution of recovery control
movements is necessary to affect recovery, and aircraft may become unrecoverable with
incorrect control inputs. These spins enabled Cirrus to gain additional understanding of
both the stall departure characteristics of the airplane and the necessary spin recovery
techniques.
Sorry about the poor reproduction above, but this summarises the additional findings of the JAA.
EASA "recommended" that in the event of an inadvertent spin with sufficient height to recover "normal" spin recovery should be applied for 5 seconds and only IF this is unsuccessful should the chute be deployed. It would appear EASA at least considers that assuming you know what you are doing you have a reasonable chance of a Cirrus recovering from a spin.