Understand stall awareness, spin entry, spins, and spin recovery techniques for the airplane.

Show with a model airplane how much altitude it takes to recover from a spin i.e. Final approach to landing.

Prevent spins on final approach and save a life or two.

What is the relationship between a stall and a spin?
When is a spin most likely to occur?
How do I prevent a spin?
How would I recover from a spin?

Development:

Definitions:

• Stall: When smooth airflow over a wing is disrupted, causing lift to degenerate rapidly.
• Autorotation: when an airplane rotates around a vertical axis.  Results from an unequal angle of attack on the airplane’s wings.  The rising wing has a decreasing angle of attack.
• Chord Line: An imaginary straight line drawn through the airfoil from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
• Angle of Attack: The angle between the chord line of the airfoil and the direction of the relative wind.
• Slip to a landing: A cross-controlled configuration to loose extra altitude without gaining excessive airspeed.

Indications of a Stall

• High angle of attack at a low airspeed
• Reduction in RPM (higher load from pitching up)
• Mushy controls
• Stall warning horn

What is a spin?

• A spin is an aggravated stall that results in autorotation.  The rising wing is less stalled than the descending wing, creating a rolling, yawing, and pitching motion.

When is a spin most likely to occur?

• A spin is most likely to occur when the airplane is slow, with a high angle of attack, and cross-controlled.  E.g. Forward slip to land too slow
• If excessive rudder is displaced and the wings stall enough, a spin will occur

How to recover from a Spin

• Power Idle—this will eliminate thrust and minimize the loss of altitude
• Ailerons Neutral—[this prevents a spiral from developing]
• Rudder Full Opposite—stops the rotation (may take a few seconds), then neutral to maintain heading
• Elevator—Ease forward—this breaks the stall; gradually apply aft elevator to return to level flight.

Conclusion and Evaluation:

Prevent spins by maintaining an angle of attack conducive to adequate airspeeds, and remain coordinated at all times, especially during turns.

During a forward slip to landing, consistently maintain a pitch that will maintain the proper airspeed.