As a tribute to the first intentional spins performed in aviation, eight-time Master Instructor Rich Stowell recently published a 5-1/2 minute YouTube video demonstrating the spins done by aviation pioneer Harry Hawker in June and July 1914.
According to Stowell, Hawker’s daring demonstration of the ability to deliberately spin and recover undoubtedly opened the door for the scientific study of spin dynamics. Thanks to scores of researchers and test pilots since, a large body of information has been accumulated on the subject.
“Unfortunately, mythology, bad information, and fear continue to drive a lot of current day training regarding stalls and spins,” he continued.
In addition to presenting a history lesson, Stowell hopes the video will encourage more pilots to seek out spin training from instructors who possess the knowledge, skills, and equipment for the job.
Although Hawker reportedly centralized the controls to recover from his spins — a technique found to work in many airplane designs of that era — the typical light aircraft flying today often require positive use of anti-spin controls to recover from spins, Stowell notes.
Australian Harry Hawker was a test pilot for Sopwith and later co-founded Hawker Aircraft, which was responsible for military aircraft such as the Hawker Hurricane. Stowell is the 2014 National FAA Safety Team Representative as well as the 2006 National Flight Instructor of the Year, and is a recognized expert on loss of control. He has performed more than 33,000 spins in 230 spins-approved airplanes.
Thanks Ann,
The aviation language used to describe various maneuvers in the early days of aviation was much less refined/defined than it is today, although even some of today’s language is often confusing as well.
Regarding Beachey and spins, researcher/author John W. Underwood wrote in “Acrobats in the Sky” (1972, Heritage Press): “The claim that Beachey invented the ‘tailspin’ is pure fiction and, indeed, there is no conclusive evidence that he actually ever performed the maneuver.”
The paragraph on the National Aviation Hall of Fame’s website about Beachey and spins, is highly suspect as well, specifically: “One morning [Beachey] climbed his plane to 5,000 feet and … nosed over forcing his plane in to the deadly spin. Down and down the aircraft twirled, whipping its pilot around inside the pivoting nose. Beachey kicked the rudder hard in the direction of the spin and slowly the plane responded leveling out.”
While that paragraph contains specifics regarding altitude and the number of times he tried it, there is no other context — no mention of places, dates, or times for an event that would have had a monumental impact on aviation back then. Further, the descriptions “nosed over” and “whipping its pilot around” and “kicked hard rudder IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SPIN [emphasis added]” for recovery are all inconsistent with spinning and are more consistent with spirals (perhaps even slipping spirals).
Underwood cites Beachey’s mechanic who described the “Beachey bore” as conceived in San Diego in November 1913 as more likely a steep spiral rather than a spin. That piece of the puzzle is consistent with the language used in the spin paragraph under Beachey on the National Aviation Hall of Fame website — spiral rather than spin.
Additionally, see Dunstan Hadley’s “Only Seconds to Live” (1997, Airlife Publishing).
The evidence seems to strongly support Hawker as the first pilot to intentionally spin and recover.
Hope that helps,
Rich
good morning any time spin education is provided is a good time thanks for the video
one might, however, have given credit to lincoln beachey, who did indeed voluntarily
enter spins and recover prior to 1914 maybe an appropriate 100 year anniversary could be dated prior to 2014
ann