Originally Posted by
SkyHigh
... Spins are not something to mess with. The majority of spin accidents occur during maneuvering flight and not when in the pattern. To me that suggests that thrill seeking pilots went up to do spins that got away from them. Practicing spins does not make you a safer pilot. Spin awareness however does. It is a good idea to be exposed to spins as a CFI however you should leave them alone unless you are in an aerobatic plane with chutes on...
My take on it is the same but I would add that I think they are safe enough if you are current in doing spins in a 172 or similar. But you should ask yourself before doing them, how long it has been since you did this last. And if it is more than a few months you should probably get a short flight & ground school with an acro pilot. Active CFIs should do a few spins every so many weeks just for practice, alone or with a CFI, but not with a student.