V.A. Spin Recovery

Question 1

What is a spin?

Answer 1

A yaw aggravated stall which results in rotation about the spin axis.
Both wings are stalled, but one wing is more deeply stalled than the other.

Question 2

List some flight situations where an unintentional spin may occur.

Answer 2

a. Base to Final turn
b. Stretching the glide during an engine failure
c. Go-around with excessive nose up trim, or retracting flaps too quickly.

Question 3

What is the recommended procedure for spin recovery?

Answer 3

PARE
Power - Idle
Ailerons - Neutral (don’t flatten the spin)
Rudder - Full opposite direction of the spin.
Elevator - briskly forward to break stall

Question 4

What does an aft center of gravity do to an aircraft’s spin characteristics?

Answer 4

Aircraft with Aft CG tends to be less stable, and will have tendency to pitch nose down. Elevator control will have less effectiveness. Spin recovery becomes more difficult.

Question 5

What does a forward center of gravity do to an aircraft’s probability of encountering a stall?

Answer 5

Forward CG increases the probability of encountering a stall. Aircraft will tend to be more stable in pitch. But the forward CG will make it easier for the wing to reach it’s critical angle of attack.

Question 6

What is the greatest potential danger during takeoff for an aircraft loaded with a forward CG?

Answer 6

May have trouble lifting the nose off the ground on rotation. In worst-case the aircraft might lift off, but would be unable to climb out of ground effect.

Question 7

What happens to load factor during a spin?

Answer 7

Likely will be slightly above 1G, since the airspeed in a spin is typically slow (stall speed), and the airplane pivots, rather than turns in a spin.