Unintentional fully-developed spins...

I have over 2000 hours in gliders including many types of glass. I also
have extensive experience in powered and glider aerobatics. Not long after
the purchase of my first fiberglass glider (Pegasus) I was thermaling around
400' over a mountain (US east coast variety) and attempted the hang glider
maneuver (which I had also been flying a lot of lately) of horsing the
aircraft into the center of a turbulent rotor type thermal. Retrospectively
the fact that it meant cross controlling while in a 60 degree bank made it a
no brainer re what resulted.....in a heartbeat I was looking at the mountain
through the top of the canopy. My first thought was "Hmmm....I've been here
before" and made immediate corrections with little more than a couple
hundred feet and an increased heart rate to show for it. Luckily the only
other pilots were above me. Take home message.....what they teach you re
spin entry is real and aerobatic training is a definite help if you get in
that situation, or at least spin training is.

As a sidebar to this discussion I noticed one person posted that he is
constantly on the edge of stalling his glider during thermaling. I would
argue that he is flying very inefficiently if that is in fact the case. To
convince yourself try thermaling (when alone) at the buffet speed vs adding
5-10 kts at differing angles of bank and focus on the VSI and see what the
results are. Look at any polar as well. Also if you try this out here in
the turbulent wild west let me know when you go flying 'cause I don't want
to be below you!

Casey Lenox
KC
Phoenix