The Spin

What a Real Spin Looks Like

A fully developed spin looks dramatic, but it follows simple rules. The airplane is stalled and rotating at the same time, dropping straight down while it twists.

Fully Developed Spin

A spin that has settled into a steady twist — the wing is stalled and the airplane keeps rotating as it descends nose-low.

Rotation

The twisting motion. You can count the turns one by one as the airplane goes around.

Rate of Descent

How fast you are dropping. In a spin you lose altitude very quickly — that is why we always practice high up.

PARE

The four-step recovery name you will learn next lesson: Power, Ailerons, Rudder, Elevator.

Here is something to keep in mind: during a spin, the airplane drops roughly 500 to 1,000 feet for every full rotation. At low altitude there simply is not enough room to recover, which is exactly why a spin near the ground is so dangerous and why we practice with thousands of feet to spare. Watching it today helps you stay calm when you fly the recovery yourself.

Instructor Setup

Cessna 172 with G1000 at high altitude (well above 5,000 feet AGL) over open terrain, with plenty of room to recover. Plan about 20 minutes. This is an instructor demonstration — the student observes and does not fly the spin.

Session Flow

1. Brief (4 min). On the ground, explain what the student will see: stall, yaw, rotation, nose-low descent. Preview PARE so the recovery makes sense when they watch it.
2. Climb and clear (3 min). Climb to a safe altitude and do clearing turns so the area is clear before any maneuver.
3. Spin demonstration (8 min). You enter a spin from a stall with rudder. Narrate as it develops — nose down, rotating, altitude unwinding. Have the student count rotations and watch the altimeter.
4. Recovery demo (3 min). Recover using PARE, calling each step aloud, then climb back up.
5. Wrap (2 min). Recap what altitude was lost and preview "PARE Recovery."

Keep the student in observer mode. The aim is calm familiarity with a real spin and an appreciation for altitude, not student handling.

Debrief

Confirm the student understood what they observed before moving on.

• Watched a spin entry from straight flight
• Recognized the nose-down, rotating descent and counted the rotations
• Saw on the altimeter how quickly altitude is lost
• Understands why high altitude is critical for spin recovery

Next Lesson

Next up is "PARE Recovery" (K29): learning the four-step PARE procedure — Power, Ailerons, Rudder, Elevator — to stop a spin. Review the PARE letters at the start of K29 so the steps are fresh.

Skills You'll Work On

These are the maneuvers and procedures covered in this lesson. Your instructor tracks each one as you progress.

• General Handling
• Power Off Stalls

Grades reflect what was covered in this lesson, not a certification of pilot competency.

Lesson Plan

Where this fits: First of three sessions drawn from PPL Lesson 10, "Fully Developed Spin." This session is observation of a full spin and recovery; K29 introduces the PARE recovery and K30 lets the student practice entries and recoveries.

Prerequisite

K25 through K27 (spin causes, incipient recovery, unusual attitudes) so the student already understands stall + yaw.

Materials

C172 G1000 simulator, student checklist card, headset.

Goal for this session

Student can describe the phases of a fully developed spin and explain why altitude matters for recovery.

Looking Ahead

• K29 — PARE Recovery: learn and call out the four PARE steps.
• K30 — Practice Recovery: enter and recover from spins in both directions.