Spin

Definition of Spin

Spin is a type of airplane maneuver that occurs when a stall is asymmetric across the span of the wing. Essentially, the airplane begins to descend in a helical or corkscrew path, which can be hazardous for both passengers and crew. During a spin, the aircraft rotates in a particular direction – typically about the longitudinal axis – based on which section of the wing is more fully stalled. If the rotation occurs primarily about the vertical axis instead, it is known as a “flat” spin.

A spin can result from an aggravated stall, which means that the aircraft was already experiencing some type of difficulty before the stall occurred. This can make recovery from a spin more challenging, as the airplane may be in a less stable state than it would have been otherwise. In some cases, a spin can also be caused by a sudden and severe gust of wind that upsets the balance of the aircraft.

Regardless of the cause, a spin is a potentially dangerous situation that requires skill and expertise to recover from. Pilots must be able to assess the situation quickly and take the appropriate actions to regain control of the aircraft before it crashes. This usually involves applying opposite rudder to the spin direction, lowering the nose of the aircraft, and adding power to increase airspeed. Depending on the severity of the spin and other factors, other maneuvers may also be necessary to fully recover the aircraft.