Looking for spins and basic aerobatics training materials

Gash · #1 10-29-2018, 09:27 PM

I'm a CFI teaching my kids how to fly. As they get more advanced certificates, they've been asking for some spin, upset recovery and basic aerobatics training. I am glad to oblige, as I've been doing these things on my own for many years. Unfortunately I don't have a single written reference from which to instruct. Spins and basic aerobatics deserve solid ground training and an organized approach to flight training--definitely not the "hey watch this" approach.

Does anyone have links to, or copies of training materials and syllabi that I could use?

I've tried Googling the topic, but the only things I find are upset recovery training materials that are geared toward commercial carriers. And some of you may ask why I don't just send the kids to an aerobatic school. Answer: where's the fun in that?

A future benefit here is that after I get this training dialed in, I might offer it to other VAF members. We could fly it in my Extra 330 for pay, or in my RV-7 for lunch, since I can't charge for training in an experimental.

jcaplins · #2 10-29-2018, 11:02 PM

?The flight instructor?s manual? by William K. Kershner, seems to have a pretty comprehensive section on spins and the basic aerobatic maneuvers.

skylor · #3 10-29-2018, 11:19 PM

I took aerobatic training at Sunrise Aviation in Southern California and they sell some good aerobatics manuals written by Michael Church, the owner. They can be purchased here http://sunrisepilotshop.com/index.ph...index&cPath=79

Skylor

Gash · #4 10-30-2018, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skylor

I took aerobatic training at Sunrise Aviation in Southern California and they sell some good aerobatics manuals written by Michael Church, the owner. They can be purchased here http://sunrisepilotshop.com/index.ph...index&cPath=79

I see Michael at IAC contests...didn't even know he wrote manuals. I'll have to drop in and get an autographed copy next time I'm in SNA.

Update: I downloaded a PDF copy of Michael Church's "Primary Aerobatics" manual from the Sunrise Aviation website, only $15. It has 87 pages of excellent instruction at just the right level of detail for a beginner. I can work these into lesson plans pretty easily.

Gash · #5 10-30-2018, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcaplins

?The flight instructor?s manual? by William K. Kershner, seems to have a pretty comprehensive section on spins and the basic aerobatic maneuvers.

I'll take a look, thanks. Next stop Amazon...

N804RV · #6 10-30-2018, 12:42 AM

Here's a couple I recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/Basic-Aerobat...40_&dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Aero...40_&dpSrc=srch

Gash · #7 10-30-2018, 12:46 AM

Thank's Ken. I do have Geza and Mike's Advanced Aerobatics book. Forgot they wrote a basic one too. I'll take a look.

12vaitor · #8 10-30-2018, 04:05 PM

Catherine Cavagnaro (Ace Aerobatic School) gave a great presentation on spins, vortices, and PIOs at the AOPA Fly-In last weekend at Gulf Shores, AL. Lots of videos of tufted flying surfaces so you could see the relative wind flows on control surfaces in spins. Great explanations of what is actually going on with each part of the PARE recovery and some interesting demonstrations of what happens when you do the wrong thing, like turning the ailerons into the spin. I was happy to learn that opposite rudder may not necessarily stop the rotation if the elevator/horz. stab is blocking the flow over the rudder, pushing the elevator forward reattached the flow to the rudder to stop the turn (great video).

She has a CFI Spin training course that you might helpful for instructional developent.

John Salak
RV-12 N896HS

RhinoDrvr · #9 10-30-2018, 10:54 PM

They?re written for lowly Naval Aviator types, but the CNATRA Flight Training Instructions (FTI?s) for FAM and Aerobatics covers the topics you?re looking for. It is obviously T-34C specific for power settings, entry speeds etc, but the basics should be the same. Plus, they?re $Free.99

https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/pubs/fol.../p-330_ch9.pdf

Gash · #10 10-30-2018, 11:09 PM

Thanks Evan, that's a good download. It's nice to see that the Navy doesn't teach the cloverleaf in acro. I remember doing a full-blown 4-loop cloverleaf on my USAF T-38 contact checkride 25 years ago. I had to finish at my start altitude and on the original heading...that was just nuts.