[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 14, Volume 1]

[Revised as of January 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 14CFR23.221]



[Page 200-201]

 

                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE

 

CHAPTER I--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 23_AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: NORMAL, UTILITY, ACROBATIC, AND 

COMMUTER CATEGORY AIRPLANES--Table of Contents

 

                            Subpart B_Flight

 

Sec. 23.221  Spinning.



    (a) Normal category airplanes. A single-engine, normal category 

airplane must be able to recover from a one-turn spin or a three-second 

spin, whichever takes longer, in not more than one additional turn after 

initiation of the first control action for recovery, or demonstrate 

compliance with the optional spin resistant requirements of this 

section.

    (1) The following apply to one turn or three second spins:

    (i) For both the flaps-retracted and flaps-extended conditions, the 

applicable airspeed limit and positive limit maneuvering load factor 

must not be exceeded;

    (ii) No control forces or characteristic encountered during the spin 

or recovery may adversely affect prompt recovery;

    (iii) It must be impossible to obtain unrecoverable spins with any 

use of the flight or engine power controls either at the entry into or 

during the spin; and

    (iv) For the flaps-extended condition, the flaps may be retracted 

during the recovery but not before rotation has ceased.

    (2) At the applicant's option, the airplane may be demonstrated to 

be spin resistant by the following:

    (i) During the stall maneuver contained in Sec. 23.201, the pitch 

control must be pulled back and held against the stop. Then, using 

ailerons and rudders in the proper direction, it must be



[[Page 201]]



possible to maintain wings-level flight within 15 degrees of bank and to 

roll the airplane from a 30 degree bank in one direction to a 30 degree 

bank in the other direction;

    (ii) Reduce the airplane speed using pitch control at a rate of 

approximately one knot per second until the pitch control reaches the 

stop; then, with the pitch control pulled back and held against the 

stop, apply full rudder control in a manner to promote spin entry for a 

period of seven seconds or through a 360 degree heading change, 

whichever occurs first. If the 360 degree heading change is reached 

first, it must have taken no fewer than four seconds. This maneuver must 

be performed first with the ailerons in the neutral position, and then 

with the ailerons deflected opposite the direction of turn in the most 

adverse manner. Power and airplane configuration must be set in 

accordance with Sec. 23.201(e) without change during the maneuver. At 

the end of seven seconds or a 360 degree heading change, the airplane 

must respond immediately and normally to primary flight controls applied 

to regain coordinated, unstalled flight without reversal of control 

effect and without exceeding the temporary control forces specified by 

Sec. 23.143(c); and

    (iii) Compliance with Sec. Sec. 23.201 and 23.203 must be 

demonstrated with the airplane in uncoordinated flight, corresponding to 

one ball width displacement on a slip-skid indicator, unless one ball 

width displacement cannot be obtained with full rudder, in which case 

the demonstration must be with full rudder applied.

    (b) Utility category airplanes. A utility category airplane must 

meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section. In addition, the 

requirements of paragraph (c) of this section and Sec. 23.807(b)(7) 

must be met if approval for spinning is requested.

    (c) Acrobatic category airplanes. An acrobatic category airplane 

must meet the spin requirements of paragraph (a) of this section and 

Sec. 23.807(b)(6). In addition, the following requirements must be met 

in each configuration for which approval for spinning is requested:

    (1) The airplane must recover from any point in a spin up to and 

including six turns, or any greater number of turns for which 

certification is requested, in not more than one and one-half additional 

turns after initiation of the first control action for recovery. 

However, beyond three turns, the spin may be discontinued if spiral 

characteristics appear.

    (2) The applicable airspeed limits and limit maneuvering load 

factors must not be exceeded. For flaps-extended configurations for 

which approval is requested, the flaps must not be retracted during the 

recovery.

    (3) It must be impossible to obtain unrecoverable spins with any use 

of the flight or engine power controls either at the entry into or 

during the spin.

    (4) There must be no characteristics during the spin (such as 

excessive rates of rotation or extreme oscillatory motion) that might 

prevent a successful recovery due to disorientation or incapacitation of 

the pilot.



[Doc. No. 27807, 61 FR 5191, Feb. 9, 1996]



                Ground and Water Handling Characteristics