When must a flight instructor demonstrate spins in an airplane or glider?

A flight instructor must demonstrate spins when retesting for deficiencies on stall awareness or spins to ensure that the student has a proper understanding of the stall-spin relationship. This demonstration is crucial in providing firsthand experience and visual evidence of what occurs during a spin, as well as the necessary recovery techniques. This specific context highlights the importance of reinforcing safety practices and enhancing the student's technical skills, especially if previous training identified gaps in understanding or execution regarding spins.

Instructors are not required to demonstrate spins during the initial test of instructional proficiency, every flight review, or specifically in preparation for the first flight of the day. These scenarios do not align with the conditions under which it’s mandated to demonstrate spins, thereby focusing the requirement solely on addressing specific deficiencies in stall awareness or spin recovery.