Posted for John Jessen <jjessen@CMBINFO.com>:
Jeff:  Very well put.  Everything you say, and it's well said, is right on the
money.  So, if the plane's design gives stalls with some advanced warning,
and if the initial spin is recoverable, and if the MCA handling is
acceptable, then this discussion is good for the attention it's given to
review and the need for solid training and practice.  If the design is
otherwise, then we have a problem.  An interesting side bar has been the discussion of spins in the new Van's
RV-7.  Apparently the original rudder did not have the authority in spins to
give the RV design folk confidence that it could arrest a fully developed
spin, at least one entered during aerobatics.  They have offered all RV-7
buyers (over 800 to date) free rudder replacements to one of a larger size.
The full story according to Van can be found at the URL below.  It has been
interesting following both that discussion and this one, which has been
going on in parallel.  In each, it was obvious that many folks have various
interpretations about what gets you into a spin, what a spin is in the first
place, and how to get out of one.  I suggest that if you have any doubts
about stalls and spins that you get back to the books and go take some upset
training.  I plan to do the latter this summer.  Safe flying,

John