I like intentional spins as well. Be able to perform the recovery without having to think about it. It came in handy when I had a student go into one during a night flight.

 

I still think of the one that a student (not one of my regulars) put us into at PATTERN altitude! This was in a 150. Once I caught my breath, and about one turn, I recovered about 350 agl. Afterwards the student asked me "what happened"? I could have killed him right there....

 

I don't see how you could have allowed that frankly. I stare at the slip skid ball almost constantly until each student lets me know they are aware of the rudder, period. You can also feel it. How could you have let this happen? Late turn to final with a left crosswind?

 

Thank you all. I do have an hour of training in a Pitts S2A, I hope to get back on it in the near future and try some more acrobatic training. My first lesson didn't go very well as my stomach did not agree with me. I definitely need some getting used to those G loads. In regards to wizepilot's post, I have a couple of questions.
1. When you are in a forward slip to lose altitude on final, you are cross controlled and uncoordinated. This is very similar to when you want to intentionally spin an aircraft, except in a forward slip you are maintaining sufficient airspeed, whereas in a spin you are stalled. Is a forward slip a dangerous maneuver in that are you closer to a stall/spin?
2. Is a forward slip a perfectly safe maneuver because you are maintaining adequate airspeed?

My only concern here is being "uncoordinated" and how easy it is to get disoriented and stall/spin. Am I way off here? I realize thousands (millions?) of pilots and their aircraft have, are, and will be landing in a forward slip, but I can't stop thinking those two maneuvers have things in common especially being uncoordinated and cross controlled...

As a CFI candidate, I believe it's about time for me to pull that book titled "Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators" and start reading it...

 

Now go get a tail wheel endorsement and some aerobatic training in a Decathalon or something similar. It will probably be the most fun you'll ever have with your clothes on

 

What immediately proceeds spin? High angle of attack. For a wing to stall you have to exceed the critical angle of attack. The spin entry stalls them unequally which sets up the rotation.

Again, it's the AoA that matters. You can enter a spin going fast in any airplane by performing uncoordinated, accelerated stalls in high-g turns. Forward slips are safe, low-AoA maneuvers. Don't use 40 degrees flaps if you are doing them though not because of AoA, but because it blanks the tail with dirty air. The POH explains.

Again, AoA is the only real issue. Jet pilots are attuned to AoA because with the instrument you can tell when your wing is close to stall, choose the perfect approach speed, and access a long list of other nice things to know such as maximum endurance speed and maximum cruise range speed. AoA is one of the most important things going on in any airplane, but unfortunately most trainers do not have the instrument. All you can do is guess using visual cues and published data. AoA meters in jets do not show left wing right wing differential, which is only critical in spins.

Glad you have a copy- enjoy.

 

Thanks Cub, makes perfect sense. It is the Angle of Attack like Langewiesche said...

 

I haven't taken it but here is one of AOPA's free-to-members tutorials on AoA.

AOPA Online Course on AoA

 

Let's get one thing straight here. Like I said in my post, not one of my regular students. How many years have you been instructing? Let's see, it's been 36 for me. When you get a student you are not familiar with, practice slow flight at low altitude due to a lower ceiling, the student pulls back suddenly, kicks in the rudder hard left, I am looking for traffic due to visibility not the best (haze, summertime, midwest, etc.), things happen quickly. No late turn to final with a crosswind. DO NOT judge someone else unless you are aware of the circumstances or have been there yourself! Got it?

 

I'll add to my previous post. If you are looking "constantly" at the slip-skid, then you are not looking for traffic. You said late turn to final with a crosswind. What altitude are you at turning final unless you are on an extended pattern due to traffic or whatever?