Plain English Meaning

The early part of a spin, just after it starts, when the rotation is building up but has not yet settled into a steady pattern. It lasts only a few seconds, and the airplane is easier to recover during this stage than later on.

Full Definition

The second phase of a spin, occurring after the stall and autorotation begin but before the spin has fully developed. During this phase, which typically lasts about 4 to 6 seconds (roughly two turns), the airplane's rotation and pitch attitude are still stabilizing, and the aerodynamic forces have not yet reached equilibrium. Recovery inputs applied during the incipient phase generally stop the spin more quickly than inputs applied later.

Context Anchor

Seen in spin training and spin recovery discussions, especially when describing what happens right after the stall and before a fully .