Hi everyone,

My "tuppence worth" is that each year in the UK we have to carry out a
Permit to Fly Renewal Test Flight and submit the data to our certification
authority.  I did mine last week as it happens and I took my 320 up to
buffet, recorded the IAS, and then to a fully developed stall and recorded
the IAS.  This was done clean and with full flaps.  Each time I do this
annual test I am very aware that, unlike the certified aircraft that I fly,
the Lancair has not had comprehensive spin testing.  However, a properly
entered stall should not result in a spin and whilst I have had a slight
wing drop on occasions it has recovered with standard stall recovery.  I am
required to do a full Mass & Balance calculation before these flights - no
body has mentioned this aspect of stalls/spins but you certainly WILL spin
if the aircraft is overweight and out of balance.  Recovery from a spin in
an unbalnced aircraft is also much more difficult.

In between these annual tests I do monthly emergency gear lowering tests
(as recommended by Lancair).  These are usually combined with about 15
minutes of slow flight practice which I think is essential for currency in
the 320/360.  The difference between buffet and stall is a few knots and
the buffet might be imperceptible if you are in a high workload situation.
My answer to all this is that, in normal day-to-day flying, I never fly
slower than 90 kias until over the hedge for landing.  I recommend that
this is a rule for Lancairs - pick a speed below which you will not go
UNLESS you are testing or calibrating (at a safe altitude) for me its 90
knots.  I add to this rule that, once below 120 kias, all turns are rate
one or less.  I don't have an AOA fitted - if I did I might modify my
self-imposed 'rules' a little.

I hope this is helpful, and happy landings ( which I am having after
installing the TK5 oil/airdampers!!!!),

michael

(LNC2 G-FOPP based at Cranfield, UK)

 Dr Michael A Fopp
 michael_fopp@compuserve.com
 Signed in the UK at 17:14 (ZULU) on 14-Jun-02