[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR23.221]

[Page 203-204]
 
                     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 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

[[Page 204]]

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