Continuing my aviator training, I recently completed an intense ground and flight course in emergencies. I spent three days wearing a parachute doing spins, rolls, spirals, loops and recovery from "unusual attitudes". We made every landing with the engine out or with simulated missing controls -- I landed once without any aileron or elevator control at all, only using rudder and power (it worked but wasn't pretty!). In addition to the obvious benefits of knowing how to recover from spins, I gained an awareness of the physics that allows airplanes flown by competent pilots to be so inherently safe.