Okay guys, here's your new thread. Please...

Del asks "how well will pilots react if they unexpectedly get into a
spin or a spiral dive? Normally you gird your loins up first before
doing a deliberate spin!"

Answer: this depends on the pilot, of course. By the time you are
gaggle flying, thermaling up off ridges or flying in competition it
damned well better be automatic, reflexive.

The only point to doing deliberate spins by stalling straight ahead
and kicking rudder is to get some sense of how the sailplane behaves
and what it takes to recover from a fully developed spin. It might
also help you develop some sense of spin entry feel, but unintentional
spins normally come from some combination of turning, skidding flight,
gusts, etc. Oh, there's also the famous pilot who transitioned from
15m to std class and early on charged into a gaggle, pulled up,
reached for the "flap" handle and spun out of the gaggle with spoilers
deployed. UH, hUH! But I won't mention any names :-). I love that
story.

What you should practice is realistic spin entries from thermaling
turns and simulated pattern turns gone bad. Do 'em in all aircraft
configurations. In flapped ships the behavior changes quite a lot.
If you are fooling with CG location, check that out too. Your
responses can and should become fast and accurate. You should do this
until you aren't "girding your loins", you aren't tense. No panic.
Aircraft departs controlled flight: so what, you deal with it, get it
back.

regards,

Evan Ludeman / T8