Private Pilot Private Exam

In what flight condition must an aircraft be placed in order to spin?

1. Level flight.

2. Climbing.

3. Stalled.

4. Descending.

The correct answer is: Stalled.

For an aircraft to enter a spin, it must first be in a stalled condition. A stall occurs when the angle of attack exceeds the critical angle, resulting in a significant loss of lift. When the pilot fails to recover from this stall while simultaneously applying uncoordinated control inputs (such as excessive rudder without proper aileron input), the aircraft can start to yaw and roll, leading to a spin. In this scenario, starting from a stall is crucial as it creates the necessary aerodynamic conditions for a spin to occur. Once an aircraft is stalled, its control surfaces lose effectiveness, and if imbalanced forces are applied, it can enter a spin characterized by a rapid rotation about the vertical axis. The other conditions provided do not cause a spin, as level flight does not induce any uncoordinated stall behavior, climbing typically maintains a positive angle of attack and lift, and descending at a sufficient airspeed generally does not lead to the conditions needed for a spin either. Only a properly executed and uncontrolled stall will enable the aircraft to transition into a spin.