X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 16:11:09 -0500 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from sccrmhc12.comcast.net ([63.240.77.82] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.1.2) with ESMTP id 1573610 for lml@lancaironline.net; Thu, 16 Nov 2006 15:58:25 -0500 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=63.240.77.82; envelope-from=mjrav@comcast.net Received: from mark1 (c-65-96-139-16.hsd1.ma.comcast.net[65.96.139.16]) by comcast.net (sccrmhc12) with SMTP id <2006111620580401200oqcnge>; Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:58:05 +0000 X-Original-Message-ID: <002401c709c2$08e66210$108b6041@mark1> From: "Mark Ravinski" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" Subject: Fw: Air Force Spin Doctrine X-Original-Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 15:58:52 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0021_01C70998.1CD134A0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1807 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1807 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0021_01C70998.1CD134A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Mark Ravinski=20 To: Lancair Mailing List=20 Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 8:32 AM Subject: Air Force Spin Doctrine Listers, Let me share some spin training info with you. Consider it a return on = your tax dollars. The Air Force (in the 70's) used T-37 jets for spin training and these = Cessna aircraft were specifically designed for this requirement. = Everything I have seen in my 360 suggests that the spin entry and = recovery characteristics are similar to the T-37. I have not let my 360 = enter a developed spin because the Lancair factory and POH suggest that = it is not recommended. From my experience, I know that aircraft of the = same make and model can spin very differently. Even variations in = loading and fuel distribution can have an effect. A "developed" spin is a stable rotation that may take about 3 or 4 turns = with the nose bobbing up and down, to some extent, after the initial = entry. I know that some aircraft simply cannot ever recover from a = developed spin. I don't need to know if mine is one of them. I did want to explore the stall / spin entry / recovery scenario. This = is within POH limitations. I have done deep stalls in numerous = configurations to spin entry and recovery - maybe 100 times in the 360 = never letting the spin develop past the start of rotation. Recovery has = always been immediate on opposite rudder application. The Air Force procedure is designed to recover from any spin - even = inverted or IMC. 1: Throttle idle. 2: Rudder and aileron neutral. 3: Stick ABRUPTLY full aft and hold. (this step is intended to right = the aircraft from an inverted spin). 4: Determine spin direction and ABRUPTLY apply full opposite rudder. = (The gyro turn needle was found to be the most reliable method for this = - even more so than outside reference due to possible pilot = disorientation.) 5: One turn after opposite rudder, stick ABRUPTLY full forward and = hold. (the "abruptly" here is important because if not done briskly = enough, an accelerated flat spin could develop. 6: Recover from the resulting dive. This procedure is guaranteed to recover within one turn of going = abruptly full forward stick. However, out of hundreds of spins I've = logged there was once it didn't. The student went through the steps = correctly and the plane kept spinning. I took it and followed the = procedure again - my best performance - and when I went full forward on = the stick it took over two full turns to recover. I wrote that plane up = as having a problem. We were very close to having to bail. This sort of flying, like many others, is not something to be learned = without an instructor. Some stalls and spin entries can be very = disorienting. I highly recommend some unusual attitude, stall, spin = avoidance training. Most pilots who do this as part of an aerobatics course have the time of = their life and say it's the most worthwhile instruction they've ever = had. Mark Ravinski N360KB 1394 hrs. EX Air Force T-37 driver ------=_NextPart_000_0021_01C70998.1CD134A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Mark = Ravinski
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 8:32 AM
Subject: Air Force Spin Doctrine

Listers,
Let me share some spin training info = with=20 you.  Consider it a return on your tax dollars.
 
The Air Force (in the 70's) used T-37 = jets for spin=20 training and these Cessna aircraft were specifically designed for this=20 requirement.  Everything I have seen in my 360 suggests that the = spin entry=20 and recovery characteristics are similar to the T-37.  I have not = let my=20 360 enter a developed spin because the Lancair factory and POH suggest = that it=20 is not recommended.  From my experience, I know that aircraft of = the same=20 make and model can spin very differently.    Even = variations in=20 loading and fuel distribution can have an effect.
A "developed" spin is a stable rotation that may take about 3 or 4 = turns with the=20 nose bobbing up and down, to some extent, after the initial entry.  = I know=20 that some aircraft simply cannot ever recover from a developed=20 spin.
I don't need to know if mine is one of=20 them.
I did want to explore the stall / spin = entry /=20 recovery scenario.  This is within POH limitations.  I have = done deep=20 stalls in numerous configurations to spin entry and recovery - maybe 100 = times=20 in the 360 never letting the spin develop past the start of = rotation. =20 Recovery has always been immediate on opposite rudder = application.
 
The Air Force procedure is designed to = recover from=20 any spin - even inverted or IMC.
 
1:  Throttle idle.
2:  Rudder and aileron = neutral.
3:  Stick ABRUPTLY full aft and=20 hold.   (this step is intended to right the aircraft from an = inverted=20 spin).
4:  Determine spin direction and = ABRUPTLY=20 apply full opposite rudder.  (The gyro turn needle was found to be = the most=20 reliable method for this - even more so than outside reference due to = possible=20 pilot disorientation.)
5:  One turn after opposite = rudder, stick=20 ABRUPTLY full forward and hold.  (the "abruptly" here is important = because=20 if not done briskly enough, an accelerated flat spin could = develop.
6:  Recover from the resulting=20 dive.
 
This procedure is guaranteed to recover = within one=20 turn of going abruptly full forward stick.  However, out of = hundreds of=20 spins I've logged there was once it didn't.  The student went = through the=20 steps correctly and the plane kept spinning.  I took it and = followed the=20 procedure again - my best performance - and when I went full forward on = the=20 stick it took over two full turns to recover.  I wrote that plane = up as=20 having a problem.
We were very close to having to = bail.
 
This sort of flying, like many others, = is not=20 something to be learned without an instructor.  Some stalls and = spin=20 entries can be very disorienting.  I highly recommend some unusual=20 attitude, stall, spin avoidance training.
Most pilots who do this as part of an = aerobatics=20 course have the time of their life and say it's the most worthwhile = instruction=20 they've ever had.
 
Mark Ravinski
N360KB  1394 hrs.
EX Air Force T-37 driver
 
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