Everyone Has A Plan Until They Get Punched In The Face.

Jamie King
Aug 23, 2017 · 4 min read

I never thought I’d lean on Mike Tyson for an inspiring quote, but it couldn’t be more spot-on then when preparing for flight exercise thirteen (isn’t that ironic) — the spin.

If you’re not familiar, this is what a very controlled spin in a C152 looks like:

Do not try this at home.

When I tell people I’m a student pilot, generally the first question I get back is “have you done spins yet?” It’s because they are terrifying on first go.
I don’t care how tough you are, it’s true. TERR. IF. Y. ING.

Fun as hell to watch, scary as hell to experience.
Probably like fighting Tyson.

You learn the maneuver, and more importantly how to recover from it, to stop yourself from panicking should you find yourself plummeting toward the ground without purpose.

THE NIGHT BEFORE.
Anticipation got the best of me. I didn’t sleep very well. But it didn’t matter, I was super prepared. I watched videos. I went over all the notes and procedures numerous times.
How to put the aircraft into a spin:
Reduce power to idle, pitch up, stall, then apply full rudder in the direction you wish to tumble towards your eventual death (I kid).

More importantly though, I memorized how to recover from one, which is quite simple if you can keep your pants clean:
1. Pull power to idle and neutralize ailerons.
2. Apply and hold full rudder in opposite direction of the rotation.
3. Move control column forward enough to break the stall (truth is, you can simply let go of the control column and the plane will correct itself — it’s built to fly).
4. Hold these inputs until rotation stops and you’re done tossing your lunch.
5. slowly pull out of the dive to level flight.

Got it? Good. Lets go!

PERFORMING THE STALL RECOVERY.
No one tells you exactly what it feels like. Likely because it’s super tough to describe. My friend Pat described it as “your soul leaving your body”. In a way, that makes a lot of sense. I wonder if that’s how a punch to the face from Tyson would feel?

Check it:

Look mom, we’re stalling!

WHAT’S HAPPENING:
worth noting my instructor Jon is demoing this, hence the video. I did not film when I performed them.

• We are pitching toward the sky, forcing the aircraft to stall
• That ungodly sound you hear is the stall horn, warning of the onset of a stall. At this point, your body is forced into the back of the seat as you climb, very much like a roller-coaster.
• When it stalls, Jon applies full left rudder, the left wing tips to the side, the aircraft begins to spin and dive. There is a very brief moment of weightlessness that is rather incredible. Zero G’s they call it. It doesn’t last long but you float, while your view goes from sky to ground, very fast. I wish it could last longer.
• Then you spin and dive. OMG! that incredible feeling of weightlessness? Gone in a heartbeat as you’re literally pulled by the aircraft toward the ground at 1000 feet per minute, feeling very disoriented and fearing for your life, naturally.
• Then, as calmly as you can, you apply the five steps that we discussed above and boom, back to level flight.

It’s super easy to say all this, but when your adrenaline is pumping, heart is racing and your heading towards the earth, it’s another thing to keep your wits.

And then you’re told you need to do it three more times. Fuck.

But we survived, as one does from any punch in the face and I now know how to get out of a messy situation should I ever find myself in one and continue on, less a pair of pants, to my destination.

SIDE NOTE:
The positive feedback I’ve been getting has been amazing.
Thank you. Some of you asked for more pics so have a look, hope you enjoy:

C-GPZI and I have become pals.
Jon, showing the ropes.
A wall of rain. See ya!
My new plane. The Chair Flyer 1000.

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