Practice Recovery

Practice Makes Safe

You already know the cause of a spin and the PARE recovery. Today's job is repetition — doing it enough times that your hands and feet know the steps without you having to think hard.

Left Spin vs. Right Spin

A spin can twist either direction. The recovery is the same idea: rudder opposite the spin. For a left spin you use right rudder; for a right spin you use left rudder.

Opposite Rudder

The pedal you press to stop the twist. Always opposite the direction the airplane is rotating.

Automatic Reaction

When you have practiced so much that the recovery happens smoothly and quickly, without hesitation. That is the goal.

Run the same PARE order every time — Power, Ailerons, Rudder, Elevator — and it works in either direction. Did you know that military fighter pilots practice spins hundreds of times during training? You are learning the same safety skills they do. Each time around the pattern of practice, your recovery gets a little quicker and a little smoother.

Instructor Setup

Cessna 172 with G1000 at high altitude (well above 5,000 feet AGL) over open terrain, with plenty of recovery room. Plan about 20 minutes. The student enters and recovers under your close supervision; you are ready to take controls at any time.

Session Flow

1. Recap PARE (3 min). Quick review of the four letters and the opposite-rudder rule for left vs. right spins.
2. Climb and clear (3 min). Climb to a safe altitude and perform clearing turns before each entry.
3. Left spins (6 min). Student sets up a slow, power-off stall with rudder, enters a left spin, and recovers with PARE (right rudder). Repeat, coaching for speed and correct order.
4. Right spins (5 min). Student enters a right spin and recovers with PARE (left rudder). Repeat to balance both directions.
5. Wrap (3 min). Recap Stage 2 and preview Stage 3, the traffic pattern.

Maintain high altitude and stay ready to assist. Use positive exchange of controls. The aim is prompt, correct recoveries in both directions, building toward an automatic reaction.

Debrief

Confirm the student can enter and recover from spins in both directions using PARE before moving on.

• Entered a left spin and recovered using PARE (right rudder)
• Entered a right spin and recovered using PARE (left rudder)
• Ran the PARE steps in order from memory
• Recovered more quickly and smoothly with each repetition

Next Lesson

Next up is "The Traffic Pattern" (K31), the start of Stage 3 — flying the rectangle around the runway that keeps every airplane organized. Congratulations on finishing Stage 2!

Skills You'll Work On

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

• Power Off Stalls
• Power On Stall
• General Handling

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

Lesson Plan

Where this fits: Third of three sessions drawn from PPL Lesson 10, "Fully Developed Spin," and the final lesson of Stage 2. K28 was observation, K29 introduced PARE, and this session builds independent practice in both directions.

Prerequisite

K29 (PARE Recovery) — the student should know the PARE steps and have recovered with guidance.

Materials

C172 G1000 simulator, student checklist card, headset.

Goal for this session

Student can enter and recover from left and right spins using PARE under instructor supervision.

Looking Ahead

• K31 — The Traffic Pattern: fly the rectangle around the runway (Stage 3 begins).
• K32 — Radio Calls: announce your position on each leg of the pattern.