Excellent New Book on Stall/Spin

[mvivion]

Folks,

Rich Stowell, who is the 2006 CFI of the Year, has just published a new book on Stall/Spin issues.

I haven't finished reading the whole book, but the first 3/4 is an excellent treatise on stall/spin dynamics, and contains a lot of information that is really useful to most of us.

The book is called "The Light Airplane Pilots Guide to Stall/Spin Awareness" It is available on Rich's web site, which is http://www.richstowell.com/

That web site also contains a lot of very valuable insights into high angle of attack aerodynamics.

Rich is the creator of the Emergency Maneuver Training program, which he operates out of Santa Paula Airport in California. If any of you have the chance to visit SoCal, try to find time to get up to Santa Paula and fly with Rich. He's simply the best flight instructor I've ever flown with, and his program is excellent.

Santa Paula Airport is also a fantastic place to visit. There are, for example, five Howard DGA's based there, half a dozen Staggerwings, and a bunch of Jungmeisters there as well.

Get the book, it conveys important information on an important topic for all of us.

We still keep killing folks with stall/spin accidents. Rich's intent is to reduce that accident rate through understanding and education.

MTV

 

[cubflier]

It's hard to imagine this kind of flight experience.

If I started now and did 10 spins per day it would take me 7 1/2 years to accumulate his experience. He has almost 3 1/2 spins per hour of flight time logged.

I wonder what it would take to make this guy dizzy

Sounds like a lot of good info on spins. Kershner's chapter on spins sure was an eye opener for me. Any education in this area is worth it in my book.

Thanks for the info.

Jerry

 

[mvivion]

Jerry,

Yep, my gut isn't near as strong as Rich's. He's also a really perceptive gent, and does a great job instructing. His co-conspiritor in developing the EMT program was one Tony LeVier, of Lockheed fame.

This is important stuff, folks, learn all you can about it.

MTV

 

[Samsam]

What is the difference between this book and his previous one?
I've got his book/tapes and they are indeed excellent.

 

[mvivion]

cubflier,

you are faster than me. I'm almost done with the book, and I wholeheartedly agree with your comments.

The difference between this book and Rich's other book is that this one deals purely with high angle of attack aerodynamics, stalls and spins. It is an in depth discussion of these topics, and does a great job of summarizing a huge collection of stall spin research into one volume, with summaries.

It is a great book, and you are absolutely correct that the folks on this site are specifically the audience who needs to read this book.

For those of you in the Minnesota neighborhood, Rich will appear at the Annaul IANRP Workshop in Brainerd this May, and at the Minnesota SPA get together right after our workshop. It'll be worth the trip. If you want more information, let me know.

The dates for the IANRP (International Association of Natural Resource Pilots) Workshop are May 1 through the 4th. The MN Seaplane Pilots Safety Seminar are that Friday and Saturday.

We'll be doing some emergency underwater egress training at these events. Get in touch if you're interested.

MTV

 

[WWhunter]

Mike,
Is this open only to NRPs? I will be back in MN by then and it sounds like it would be interesting to attend.
Keith

 

[mvivion]

Keith,

Yes, the IANRP program is open only to members. That said, take a look at the web site. You may want to join...

http://ianrp.org/

No special qualifications required to be an associate member.

Y'all come.

MTV

 

[bob turner]

Gary just gave me a copy - neat book. I have always taught spins before solo and loops and rolls before private, but have not done any primaries for about a quarter-century. I was intrigued with a number of specific things in the book, including my favorite coordination maneuvers, but one thing stuck for discussion here:

The new "distract them into a stall/spin" Advisory Circular was news to me, although I was aware of the technique. The mention of using a stock Cub for stall/spin awareness is another thought worth pursuing. My experience is that a VG Cub is very difficult to get into a spin - almost requiring an over-the-top entry. So what do you think - should we keep a non-VG cub around for the FAA mandated awareness program?

Oh, yeah - I don't go around scaring folks, so I regard the "incipient spin" and recovery therefrom as sufficient. Letting them wind up, even in a Cub, is not fun for me.