A couple of questions about Mooneys for thought

[cliffy]

As another thread mentioned that chutes were for airplanes that can't come out of a spin-

Bill Wheat once told me that he got into a fully developed 5+ turn spin and thought he wouldn't get out of it. Said he never did that again. I've sometimes wondered just how far the factory guys go into spins these days. I wonder what the real story is.

Just like I wonder why in 69 the throws of the elevators were changed from 24 up and 10 down to 22 each way and the bungee angles were changed. Same airplane (short body) just different angles. Why? No one has ever answered the question. 

I have a hazy memory of why but I'd like confirmation.

 

[MooneyMitch]

While filming movie “Boots”, I asked the late Mooney test pilot Mike Miles to describe the spin routine he used during test flights. Mike basically described them as almost every configuration as imaginable.  It’s all in the movie.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get Bill’s spin incident on tape.  

However, we did get his experience with the empennage under sized bolts terror flight on film!  Bill’s description is harrowing, yet perforated with his dead pan charming grin and charming humor.  Cherished memories!!!

[MooneyMitch]

Incidentally, and not wishing to dilute this thread, but wanting to share a little story.

During initial filming of the movie project, we were told Mike Mikes was very shy and would not consent to being filmed.

As it turned out, Mike was the most charming, polite, respectful, humorous, and generous historical informants we could have asked for.  Mike was a true gentleman!  Wonderful memories.  

[PT20J]

Certification standard for non-spin-approved airplanes was recover from a one turn spin within one additional turn. A spin is not generally fully developed until after about two turns, so it may or may not recover easily from a multi-turn spin. Bob Hoover recounted in Forever Flying how he used to spin the Shrike until one time it went flat on him and he almost didn’t get out of it. So, even if you do it successfully once or twice, that doesn’t necessarily prove anything.

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