Definition
A specific paragraph in the Federal Aviation Regulations that sets the spin recovery and spin resistance certification standards for normal, utility, and acrobatic category airplanes. Section 23.221(a) establishes the requirements an airplane must meet during flight testing for the manufacturer to demonstrate acceptable spin characteristics, including the recovery procedure and the number of turns the airplane must be able to recover from within a specified amount of additional rotation.
Plain English
This is the FAA rule that says how an airplane must behave during a spin and how it must be able to recover, before it can be certified for sale. It is the legal standard the manufacturer had to meet to prove the airplane's spin behavior was acceptable.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions about intentional spins, airplane certification, and whether a particular airplane is approved for spin training.
Derivation
CFR stands for Code of Federal Regulations, the official collection of U.S. federal rules. Title 14 covers Aeronautics and Space. Part 23 covers airworthiness standards for smaller airplanes. The number 23.221(a) is the address of one specific paragraph within that part: section 221, subsection (a). Reading it as an address makes it easy to find: Title 14, Part 23, Section 221, paragraph (a).
Why Pilots Care
It tells pilots which airplanes are approved for intentional spins and what recovery performance to expect during training.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as a flying procedure. It is a regulation citation, not step-by-step spin recovery instructions.
Example Sentence 1
The Airplane Flying Handbook notes that spin recovery characteristics for the airplane were demonstrated during certification under 14 CFR part 23, section 23.221(a).
Example Sentence 2
Chapter 5 of the handbook cites 14 CFR part 23, section 23.221(a) to describe the recovery behavior expected from a certified trainer.