Great points being made in all the replies. Thanks! Regarding full scale spins, no I haven't spun the Skylane, but I've done spins in a CAP-10B and C-150 Aerobat. The Cap required 1/4 rotation and standard spin recovery techniques - opposite rudder, down elevator. You entered the spin using both rudder and ailerons, and up elevator, of course. As far as the idle setting is concerned, the engine is set to a slightly high idle to insure that the engine stays running through the various maneuvers. I have one of the channels set so that I have a ground/landing idle and a flight idle. But it isn't any higher than I've used on previous models. I understand that I can try exit techniques involving opposite rudder, etc, but I've never needed to do that before - just centering the controls has been enough and that is what I'd like to get back to. As far as direction, sometimes it seems that left works better and sometimes right. It isn't consistent. So, I think that the wind direction (crosswind, etc) has more to do with it than the idle speed.

There are a lot of variables - that's one of the reasons that it is fun to try to figure it out! Of course, it is also a bit frustrating at times.

Jeff