At 05:36 PM 9/12/99 -0500, you wrote: >The FFA does not want/require spin training anymore, so perpetuating >the past, lends no credence to now or the future quality of flight.
I don't think spin training should be REQUIRED, but it's ridiculous to assume that there is no benefit from it. That's like saying that there is no benefit in taking one of those driving courses where you drive on the slick skid pad, where you practice correcting out-of-control skids. Ooohh, I feel an analogy coming on. Are you ready? This one's going to be good... Spin training is a lot like driving on a skid pad and spinning the car around and around in one of those "defensive driving" courses. Lots of people learn to drive just fine without taking such a course, and the course isn't required because it's rare that someone spins their car around. Besides, it's better to teach driving students NOT to get in a skid in the first place. Plus, lots of newer cars have anti-skid brakes and don't get into skids. Sorf of like the Ercoupe's anti-spin characteristic. But, if a driver wants to learn a little more, and be a cut above the rest, he might go take one of these courses. This makes him a little more confident in the car, and more likely to do something useful if the car ever gets going in a strange direction. Now here is the brilliance of this analogy: Just as the driver who had the skidpad training can more easily recognize an upcoming loss of directional control and instantly make the proper correction to "fix" the problem, so can the spin-trained pilot recognize the onset of a spin-inducing situation and quickly take steps to correct the problem. Anyway, required or not, I positively see an improvement in confidence and skill with the students I teach spins to. This is true whether or not the skills aquired are ever used. --Steve Dold, aviation safety expert ------------------------------------------------- Steve Dold [EMAIL PROTECTED] Say NO to useless over-quoting -------------------------------------------------
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