The PARE acronym described by Peter should cover most GA general purpose cross country machines, although some types, typically short coupled, may have special recovery which is described in the POH.
Some types suffer from rudder blanking if the stick is not held fully back during application of opposite rudder, again the POH needs to be studied.
Other types might decide to go from an upright spin to an inverted spin if you are a bit too sporty with the briskly move the control column fully forward recipe.
Alan Cassidy’s book on aerobatics, and AP345’s description of forces in spinning give comprehensive descriptions of how different types might recover in a spin.
Is there a “universal” spin recovery method?
No. I’m doing acro rating right now, and spin is one of the few things you have to look in the hand book to do it right. Every airplane can be different, and they will also spin differently depending on CG, throttle setting and propeller and if you spin left or right. Most small airplanes will react fairly similar (according to my book). Idle, then apply rudder in the opposite direction, then neutral aileron and stick slightly fwd of center. You will end up in a 40-60 degree nose down position in a dive and need to pull out which will require about 3g. Full stick fwd is normally only for “acro spin” or “precision spin” where the spin is supposed to be exit in a 90 degree nose down position after 1 to 1 1/2 rotation . This is not something you want to do in a normal aircraft with max 4g and limited Vne. Opposite rudder and idle power is what stop a spin spin (normally). Some aircraft will stop spinning by applying aileron into the spin. This will (normally) lower the nose enough to stop the stall, entering a spiral dive instead.
So far I have only spun in the C-152 Aerobat and gliders. Exit spin was the “normal” procedure.
Some scary stuff here
I’ve learned the same procedure as Peter, except that the elevator should be held neutral until rotation stops and then moved “briskly” forward. I don’t know why that difference would matter, though.
That is wrong and will kill you in some aircraft. Maybe a C152 will stop spinning with the elevator in neutral, but a C152 is unusually benign. A Chipmunk or a T67 will just keep rotating until the stick is moved fully forward with full rudder in the opposite direction to the spin, and sometimes even then will take a turn or two before the rotation stops.
The moral of the story is that you need to use the spin recovery method as per the AFM.
The moral of the story is that you need to use the spin recovery method as per the AFM.
Well, in that case applying full down elevator at once is just as “wrong”. At least if we are to believe RobertL18C’s post above.
Don’t get shirty Airborne Again.
I believe Robert and I are saying the same thing, but I just used a couple of examples. I did not say one procedure suits all types.
I merely pointed out that in the Chipmunk or the T67 you need throttle closed, ailerons neutral, full opposite rudder, and move the stick forward until the rotation stops. If you don’t move the stick forward the rotation might never stop till you hit the ground. In some conditions on those aircraft you might have the stick full forward with anti spin rudder and still it might take a while to stop rotating.
I have spun a T67 with a CAA test pilot, and we did up to 9 turns in some trials. It recovers predictably but you need to use the correct procedure. I know the RAF lost several Chipmunks and Bulldogs in spinning accidents, which were attributed to incorrect recovery procedure. In a Chipmunk it is easy to think you have full forward stick when in fact there is a little bit more if you push. I have never flown the Bulldog.
In a C152 it’s different, and in the one I flew I had trouble getting it to spin, it tended to recover to a spiral dive whatever I did, but that was probably my C of G position.
Two otherwise seemingly identical 100 series Cessnas can have somewhat different spin recovery characteristics due to wing rigging. That can be done correctly or poorly. Even a plane which will fly hands off, is not necessarily rigged correctly at the wing cams. This can also be a factor in different cruise speeds for otherwise same Cessnas.
The only thing wrong with moving the stick all the way forward may be a more steep pitch down that you intended. That is not a problem, as long as you prevent exceeding Vne or G in the resulting dive recovery. I can attest that some planes, particularly at aft C of G will require full nose down control – applied, and held. The Cessna 206 and 208 are two examples in which I have experience with this.
For a certified single, the aircraft will recover a one turn spin in not more than one additional turn, with reasonably good technique. Poor technique, and it may take longer to recover. Certification requires that it not be possible to achieve an unrecoverable dive with any [mis]use of the controls. But…
It can be the resulting dive which can be a challenge to safely recover. This is one reason that many planes are “spins prohibited”. It’s not that they don’t recover – they do, but the margin between what you can achieve for speed and G during recovery can be rather close to limitations which you would rather not exceed. Spin approval requires of recovery after six turns, and that’s a different thing.
I have spun many non spin aircraft during testing. For all but one (the Caravan) there was no flight manual procedure for recovery. I always use the same recovery technique (with lots of pitch down, if not full – to achieve the desired nose down). I do not recommend spinning aircraft without a G meter installed, so you know what you’re doing the airframe during recovery.
Possibly for a new thread but this has sparked a thought:
I’ve never done a spin recovery. The aircraft I flew though the PPL were not cleared for spins and did little more than buffet before the nose dropped. Recovery from an incipient spin was not much of a challenge. Straight and level or low speed in a turn – it wasn’t difficult or ‘sporty’. I suspect it was the same for everyone else learning in a PA28 or an HR200
I know the theory for recovery, of course. Would I execute it in the event? I can’t be sure. Just as I am unsure if I would remember everything if I had an engine failure without an Instructor by my side. I hope I don’t have to find out but equally hope that running it through my mind time after time and keeping up with some PFLs will see me through.
I continue to fly a PA28 (not my ideal but it’s good value flying). So, it won’t behave any differently to the aircraft I learned in.
I’m a bit of a straight and level kind of guy but have this nagging feeling I ought to book a lesson in a aerobat and prove I can do it.
But I am curious to know: Am I alone in this? How many pilots who have gained their PPL in the last, say, 5 years have done spin recovery?
PJL wrote:
But I am curious to know: Am I alone in this? How many pilots who have gained their PPL in the last, say, 5 years have done spin recovery?
Not many I would hazard. The pros and cons are often discussed with the balance of opinion against.
The first time you spin it is very disorientating – it really is, more so that you might expect. I am not convinced many pilots would recover if they hadnt seen it a few times.
I think some aerobatics experience is very useful – even if you dont take it any further.
I would unashamedly plug Ultimate High at Goodwood as a good place to have a “fun” hour, especially if you opt for the Extra. It is a safe introduction in a very safe and predictable aircraft with amazing performance and you will get to do as much as you wish (no connection).
PJL wrote:
But I am curious to know: Am I alone in this? How many pilots who have gained their PPL in the last, say, 5 years have done spin recovery?
The aircraft I’m currently doing my PPL in is not certified for spins, so I won’t practice spin recovery either during PPL training.
I did not get my PPL in the past 5 years, and flew in a PA38. We did not establish in the spin but recovered after the wing dropped and the windshield was full of Mother Earth. Scary the first time. Fun thereafter.
