Warbird Information Exchange

I took a lot of my flight training in the Beech Skipper, which is rated for spins. My instructor was adamant that I learn spin recovery, even though the PPL did not require them; and after the fear factor wore off, I got to enjoy them.

Another reason I took my training in the Skipper is that it has two doors.

Walt

Another good reason to do some spins. The recovery is a balance of at least 2 very serious conditions. 1 you don't want to pull too many G's on your average nonaerobatic aircraft and cause structural problems or worse case break off a wing. 2 you don't want to over speed in the dive.
If nothing else you need to ride through a few spins just to see what happens, and how to recover. If you do ever accidentally get into one, without knowing what it is, you will panic and that will be the end.
A spin is a stall of sorts, and this thread lead me to believe that you didn't think a stall was a big deal. That is why you defiantly need to go for some spins. And you need to do that before you solo.
Just make sure the weight and balance is correct for spinning.

Spin/unusual attitude training is a great idea, and something every pilot should do.

However, it's important to recognize what spin training courses are...they are just an introduction to spins. Being proficient in spin recovery really means two things: 1) being comfortable enough in unfamiliar attitudes that you can think logically and carefully about how the recovery should be effected, and 2) being familiar with the spin characteristics of your aircraft.

Only experience can satisfy #1; I think it takes people a good 25-50 hours of aerobatics before they get where they can think calmly no matter what attitude the airplane is in.

Being familiar with your specific aircraft is important and often understated. A lot of spin training is given in Citabria derivatives, which are very nice spinning aircraft (upright..after 2 turns most Decathlons wrap up fast in inverted spins and can take several additional turns to recover).

However, the noises and view and buffeting and control response while spinning a Decathlon is very different from a 172. I've seen people get perfectly comfortable spinning a Citabria and then freak out in a 172 spin the next day. Some aircraft - like a Chipmunk without strakes - require application of controls in reverse order (i.e. stick forward first, then rudder) and will not recover if you just kick opposite rudder and center the stick. Also, whereas a Decathlon will break cleanly into a spin, it is very easy to slide a Cessna into a spiral dive and think you are spinning...but then realize that the ASI is indicating 180!

I think some of the best training for spin recovery - or I should say spin avoidance - is to get very proficient "walking" the aircraft around with the rudders while at a high AOA/edge of a stall.