Did my first spin. How was your very first spin like?

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Mehere_64@reddit

Did them in my Decathlon. Super easy recovery in it. Pretty much just go neutral once spin is done, pull back gradually.

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AWACS_Bandog@reddit

Terrifying.... but it was unintentional too and I was a student still so theres that.

CFI got us out of it and said "dont do that again" and we went on with the lesson.

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It was like a record, baby, right round round round. Sorry, I’m old and your question put the song in my head. I was lucky enough to have an instructor with a spin rated C172. He really got that thing to spin. We did it a bunch of times, which really helped me when I got back into flying.

I was doing my first power on stall in 15 years, let the left wing dip, stalled, started a spin, I was able to recover quickly from the spin training way back when.

I highly recommend spin training if it’s available.

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MirrorFoggerMistress@reddit

Pretty easy, but also in a 172. If you want GOOD spins, you need to do it in something sportier.

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RogLatimer118@reddit

172 vs Citabria was QUITE a difference.

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freedomflyer12@reddit

I feel like I’m still plucking seat cushion out of my ass. A joke but the first was jarring but then doing a few more got more comfortable. The recovery works and that’s what the point of it is to prove to you that it does. So if/when you get into one you aren’t shitting bricks with your student too.

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BugHistorical3@reddit (OP)

The thing I don't quite entirely understand is that I've been told spins and to some extent stalls are the most dangerous during take off and landing and that it's at these moments they have the most likelihood of happening. But if you do go into spin at let's say base to final, would you even have enough altitude and time to save yourself?

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dummyinstructor@reddit

First one is very frightening. You get told how dangerous they are for all of your training and then you get thrown into one, you'll obviously be pretty terrified for the first one.

They get better the more you do, you'll be less sick and you'll feel more confident with your ability to get out of a spin and identify when a spin is about to occur.

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PullDoNotRotate@reddit

Which is why they should be on the private, because the first time you see one should be because YOU put the airplane there.

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Nearly_Pointless@reddit

And disappointing non event. That said it was in a 152 which will recover on its own if you just let go and have the ability to simply wait it out.

Full rudder opposite the spin and it recovers in half a turn.

Spin recovery training in training aircraft is nearly pointless. Spin recovery training the types of aircraft that will murder you is dangerously foolish.

If you want unusual attitude time, just do aerobatic training and really learn what it’s al about.

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Pilot-Imperialis@reddit

152 recovers on its own during incipient. Get a good fully developed 6 or 7+ rotations in and you need to the full procedure to get out of it.

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Granite_burner@reddit

Nose up, windshield nothing but blue sky/nose down, windshield filled with nothing but brown hillside

The moment that / took was quicker than the blink of an eye. It took you longer to read the / than it took to happen.

I have no other recollection of the event, although I’m sure I performed the requisite recovery actions as prompted by my instructor. IIRC he let either the first or second one develop for a turn and a half. Second time through I was actually catching up enough to be aware of the transition from nose high to pointing down…

Aircraft was the 8KCAB Super Decathlon, flying the first lesson in an intro to aerobatics course.

Loads of fun.

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Mithster18@reddit

Wasn't as bad as I thought, we did 5 and on the way back to the airport I felt a bit woozy, didn't vom though.

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ashtranscends@reddit

My first intentional spin was in an Extra. It wasn’t as dramatic as I thought it would be. It ended up leading into my first aerobatics lesson (with more to follow) and like another commenter said on here: the best thing possible for my confidence as well as my stick & rudder skills.

My first unintentional spin was in an older, worn out 172…a bit more underpowered than what I was used to flying. Was practicing power on stalls. That was the day I learned there was such a thing as too much right rudder. Thankfully, training kicked in and it was also less dramatic than I thought it would be.

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jsvd87@reddit

First one shoulda been a demo anyways

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datcrazybro@reddit

The first few were pretty freaky. After that I could enjoy it a little more. I only had about 9 hours when we did them in my schools clapped out C150. Most fun I’ve ever had in an airplane.

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Aggravating-Bid-4184@reddit

I wasn’t feeling so well before my flight personally I feel better when I have a full stomach, but all I brought was clam chowder soup and a thought of warming it up sounded bad in my head so I just poured it directly into a bowl and ate the whole thing I didn’t tell my CFI because I think he might’ve left me on the ground if I told him. didn’t throw up and had a great time it was in a G1000 Cessna 172 both of the screens would X out if we did a hard enough spin it was fun.

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PullTheGreenRing@reddit

My first spin was in a pitts and it was after we did a bunch of aerobatics so the spin ended up feeling a little underwhelming, the pitts also might just have really good spin characteristics because we recovered in like 1 turn almost immediately. I still plan to try it out in something else though.

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Fit-Citron-2145@reddit

It was honestly less dramatic than I thought it would be. My poor skyhawk is so stable it's hard to spin and recovers quickly when you release the spin input. I had watched a lot of videos and talked to people about what it was like so I knew what to expect

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cmmurf@reddit

It was private pilot check ride prep for me. Back to the beginning, doing power on and off stalls. I got into a spin and it was a shock. CFI said, "what are you gonna do?"

There should be a parachute exemption for spins, rather than the wink-wink exemption we currently have. Hell I don't even know the first thing about jumping out of an airplane.

FAA should require more emphasis on slips vs skids in the pattern from all initial pilot candidatesrequire CFI candidates to have experienced

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Malcolm2theRescue@reddit

If you read the regulation, it DOES have a parachute exemption for “spins or other maneuvers required for certification” provided a flight instructor or Type rated pilot on board. Of course, you can’t do them on your solo flights.

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cmmurf@reddit

What do you think I meant by rather than the wink-wink exemption we currently have?

What if two CFIs want to go do spins?

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Malcolm2theRescue@reddit

Oh, I interpreted wink wink as you were cheating somehow. But no need to wink if you don’t wank. I’m a CFI. Can I do spins by myself?

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Malcolm2theRescue@reddit

Really? No exemption? I’m busted! When you look up the definition of aerobatics, I would apply to most stall practice too.

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ReadyplayerParzival1@reddit

Unless the plane is designed for it with detachable doors, it’s next to near impossible to bail out. For example in the rv series no one has successfully bailed out even though they are designed with aerobatics in mind. I agree with the cfi spin training endorsement. It’s too easy. Plus each plane you train in will spin differently

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psljx@reddit

Fun and easier than I expected especially given the 172s spin stability. Recovery came natural to me

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jaxin737@reddit

Did mine in a Piper Tomahawk; not the most reassuring airframe for that activity. Years later, after a seeing talk on spins by William Kershner, did 14 turns in a Decathlon. It was really interesting to see the various modes it went through, as the turn rate increased and decreased repeatedly. Fun stuff. Highly recommend aerobatics if you have the opportunity. It’ll make you a better pilot, and might just get you out of a jam someday (wake turbulence)

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GoobScoob@reddit

Normal to feel a bit blegh after your first

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cdn737driver@reddit

Unfortunately my first was in an aerobatic plane. 4 full spins and recovered quickly. I never knew about the correct ways to breathe or flex when pulling G’s and nearly greyed out. Had to go home and immediately lay down for most of the day I felt so sick.

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gc_DataNerd@reddit

Terrifying. But you get used to them after a while . Thats the whole point of the training!

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Malcolm2theRescue@reddit

I asked for ANOTHER ONE! Yee ha!

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ReadyplayerParzival1@reddit

Super full. Yanked the nose up to stall and stepped on the rudder. Did about 4 turns in a Citabria and recovered. Motion sickness is normal

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Desert_Coyote_115@reddit

My first spin felt weird, and quite intense, simply because I wasn't used to the sensations of being in a spin. The second one felt much more docile, as did the third...it'll just take some time and reps, but you'll do well! You got this.

You experienced the good old law of intensity--there aren't any substitutes for experiencing the real thing. Plus, when it's hot out, flying GA aircraft with poor ventilation and no A/C isn't any fun...

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BluProfessor@reddit

First one shocked me. After that, it felt more and more routine and the recovery was more natural. You had a normal reaction and that's why you train!

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FlyW_Brennen@reddit

Did mine in a Super Decathlon. Anxious going into it, absolutely having a blast after the first spin. Proceeded to do aerobatics etc. Best thing I ever did for my flying confidence

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CompassCardCaptain@reddit

I recovered like I was trained to do. Freezing up is the literal worst possible reaction.

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Key_Math8192@reddit

I don’t know, I’d say pulling up is a pretty bad reaction.

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CompassCardCaptain@reddit

Pulling up doesn't really do anything in any trainer I've flown.

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Agile-Hope1887@reddit

Sickness is totally fine to feel! Don’t be too hard on yourself for freezing up on the first one, your body is not used to it. It’s good to be afraid of it, you just need to be able to recognize that fear and control it with what you’ve been trained to do!

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Agile-Hope1887@reddit

Also every pilot learns differently and at different paces as long as we all have the same end result there’s no issue.

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Equivalent-Web-1084@reddit

I loved it, and was pretty Johnny on the spot (it was a super D tho)

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

So I did my first spin today. I had the whole recovery steps burned in my memory. But I just froze up and my body refused to move or do anything. My CFI and I are obviously planning on more spins. Truth be told I was very afraid of it. Wanted to hear other people's first experience of a spin.

Also got a little bit sick too but that might have been due to really hot weather and other stuff.

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