Definition
The first of the four phases of a spin, in which the pilot intentionally or unintentionally provides the control inputs that cause the airplane to depart from controlled flight and begin to spin. It typically involves bringing the airplane to a stall while applying rudder, and ends as the airplane starts to rotate and descend.
Plain English
The very beginning of a spin — the moment the airplane stalls with the rudder deflected and starts to rotate. It is the setup that gets the spin started.
Context Anchor
Seen in spin training and in Airplane Flying Handbook discussions of how spins begin, develop, and recover.
Why Pilots Care
Recognizing this stage allows early recovery before the spin develops fully, minimizing altitude loss.
Grounding Statement
Picture the airplane near a stall, one wing beginning to drop, and the nose starting to swing into a turn—that moment is the entry phase.
Intuition Check
Do not read “entry phase” as entering a traffic pattern or entering airspace. In spin procedures, it means the beginning stage where the airplane starts to enter a spin.
Example Sentence 1
During the entry phase, the instructor reduced power, raised the nose to a stall, and applied full left rudder.
Example Sentence 2
The airplane's nose drops and rotation builds once it passes through the entry phase.