Originally Posted by
jsfBoat
Is getting spin training a good idea? I'm frightened of spins, and hopefuly this would build my confidence? How did others get over spins. My CFI will not show me one, even though I'm a Commercial Student. I'm nervous about when I start working in my CFI, guess that is a common training routine? Any body know of a place in central jersey, or in bucks county PA? Heard that there was a good place, but couldn't find them through my leads.
It's a great idea, do some spins until they are a non-event.
But your instructor is being COMPLETEY reasonable here...the FAA does not allow aerobatics (including spin training) without a parachute. Unless you have have parachutes and are trained to use them, it would be illegal. The parachutes also have to be certified and maintained according to the FAR's.
There is however an exemption to the parachute rule...CFI applicants are required to receive spin training and may do so WITHOUT parachutes (this is a grandfather-type rule). There are some grey areas here...
1) Can a commercial (or private) student get spin training under this exemption if it is assumed that he will move on to CFI training? Probably, but who knows for sure? A normal CFI would be safer just following the leter of the law and defering the spin training until AFTER you finish the commercial.
2) A CFI who provides training for a CFI applicant must have two years experience as CFI (from date of initial CFI ticket issue). I can't recall if there is a requirement for a certain amount of dual-given but I think there is. If your CFI is fairly new, he may not qualify to provide instruction to a CFI applicant. The grey area here is that the CFI who signs off a CFI applicant MUST be a two-year cfi...however a non-two-year can provide loggable flight instruction to a cfi applicant during his training, he just can't do the sign off. Can a non-two-year provide spin training to a cfi applicant? I think so, but still kind of grey.
Your cfi is probably afraid of operating in TWO regulatory grey areas...I don't blame him a bit. Also, if he only did the minimum required spins during HIS cfi training, he probably feels unqualified to teach spins AND I AGREE WITH THIS!
I'd probably just wait until your CFI training. If you're not going to get the cfi, go find somebody who gives aerobatic instruction in a certified airplane.