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ROTFLMAO!

Tailspin, thanks for your amusing stories of personal survival in various aeronautical devices.

My aviation career lasted from 1963 through 1981, and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every hour of the 6,000 + I flew (in the front of the aeronautical device -- I hate flying in ANY back seat!), and I particularly enjoyed each of the 365 aircraft carrier landings I personally made and most of the thousand or so I rode through sitting in the right seat.

One of my more memorable flights occurred in Flagstaff, AZ, when, as a CFI, I checked out a young female "Flatland Furriner" in mountain (high density altitude) flying. Fresh with a new Private Pilot Certificate from Kansas (she did know about windy days!), she allowed as how her instructor had neglected to teach her stall/spin recognition/recovery. I did not allow my students to solo until they were comfortable with recognizing and preventing stalls and were proficient in performing three turn precision spins.

Well, having thoroughly briefed her on what to expect, I initiated a spin. When the C-152 Aerobat flipped over on it's back, she screamed, grabbed me and began to hug me for all she was worth. One turn, two turns -- I gently remarked that if she would let go of me, I would demonstrate proper spin recovery. She did, and I did.

I asked her if she would like another spin demo prior to her doing one on her own. "Yes, I'd like that."

Well, same-o, same-o! Plane flipped onto it's back, she grabbed me in a bear hug, and down we spun. I talked her into letting go, and I recovered, with her following through on the controls, I think.

"Ok, sweetie, it is your turn. Show me a precision three turn spin."

Her spin entry technique was excellent, until the plane flipped over on it's back. You got it -- same-o, same-o. A scream (I never did determine if it was a scream of pure delight or pure terror), followed by a bear hug on the CFI.

Of course, when she let go of the controls, the 152 righted itself, but she kept the hug on me until I asked her to please resume her flying duties.

I don't need to keep this shaggy dog story going much further -- we are almost finished, I promise!

After several more attempts and several more hugs, I finally got her confidence up enough to fly the airplane into and out of a three turn precision spin.

Needless to say, this was a most interesting flight, and a most interesting young lady. She regularly flew with us, though I never flew with her again after that one flight check-out. She later told me that she came to enjoy performing three turn precision spins, and was interested in learning more about acrobatic flight.

I hope she followed through on her interst. I moved from Flagastaff to San Diego before she graduated from NAU, so I do not know what happened to her after the summer of 1981.

Then there is the time that I got shot at by a VC when landing at DaNang one night. I'll save that one for later.

Eagles Up!