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• November 25, 2016 Create Date
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National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Technical Notes - Piloting Technique for Recovery From Spins

Over a period of several years the National Advisory
00mmittee for Aeronautics has done a great deal of flight
testing for the purpose of systematically studying the
spinning characteristics of various airplanes. For examr
ple, over 900 spin tests were made with one airplane whose
spinning characteristics were vicious at times, depending
on the effect of modifications to the tail and to the load
distribution. From the varied and extensive experience
gained in these flight tests, the pilots engaged in the
testing have learned a number of general rules, pertaining
particularly to the routine of control manipulation for
reCOVery from prolonged spins. It is believed that these
general rules will be of interest and value to other pi—
lots. Although no method of control manipulation for re—
covery can be claimed to be infallible, it is believed
that the procedure recommended herein'should be generally
adopted.

A rule of great importance for student pilots or for
any pilot who is not entirely familiar with all the spin
traits of a particular airplane, is that during a spin and
particularly during the last 3 or 4 turns of a prolonged
spin before recovery is attempted the ailerons should be
neutral and the eleVator and rudder controls should be
held all the way with the spin.

There are two important reasons for the foregoing
recommendation. First, it has been observed that a much
”snappier" and more forceful reaction on the part of the
airplane toward recovery is. obtained when the controls are
moved from one extreme to the other. Obviously. having
the controls already full with the spin gives assurance
that the full range of control deflection is available for
recovery. Second, it has been observed that the above~
described application of controls produces the steadiest
and. most uniform spin cendition.

The steady spin is desirable since- it has frequently
been definitely demonstrated that an unsteady or oscillat—
i'ng spin greatly aggravates any confused mental condition
that may be present during a spin maneuver. The likeli—
hood of mental confusion and its importance cannot be over—
emphasized. It is only necessary to mention that on sev~
eral occasions pilots with extensive experience in spins,
including the pilots engaged in the N.A.C.A. spinning in—
vestigation, have been known to move the controls to posi—
tions Opposite to those intended because of their mental
confusion or excited condition.