Perhaps the reason the letter was rescinded was because of a computational error.

 

I don't know what percentage of Lancairs are in the total experimental fleet, but "airplanes" in the Experimental category had 56 "fatal" accidents in the period Sept 2008 thru August 2009.  75 lives were lost.  Lancairs accounted for 4 of those fatal accidents (7 lives lost).  This data was obtained from the NTSB online accident database.  Thus, Lancair accounted for 4 of 56 or 7% of the fatal accidents during that period, not 16%.  Also, there were 227 Experimental Airplane accidents overall, of which 8 were Lancairs - a mere 3.5% and not much different that the stated percentage of Lancairs in the Experimental fleet (3%).

 

It is true that 5 of 8 Lancair accidents in the period were fatal (62%).

 

While looking at the last 4 years, there were 33 Lancair fatal accidents (66 souls) in 59, or 56%.  However, I might have classified the fatals as:

 

Midair - 1

CFIT - 3

Ice/Storm - 4

Power - 5 (some resulted in stall)

LOSS of CONTROL (most from stall?) - 21 broken down as:

Landing/Approach - 8

Takeoff - 5

Low altitude - 4

IFR oops - 4

 

I would say that 23 or so (if not more ) were loss of control or 23/33 = 69% and maybe 15 or more were close enough to an airport.  15/23 = 65%.  Here, loss of control means a low altitude stall.

 

Were I the FAA, I would fix the first statistic and reissue the Info Letter.

 

There were only a few "stalls" in cruise flight - Icing, Hypoxia, disorientation or operation in storms?  Many were close to the ground and the result of going too slow accompanied by a maneuver with no room to recover.  Go practice stalls, but remember that practiced maneuvering in slow flight, without the stall, is more worthwhile in my mind. 

 

As was pointed out, 1.3 times the "average" stall speed is a good minimum - also note that another pilot discussed the dramatic stall speed range for different loading in a Lancair IV.  The range is probably less for wee Lancairs since the loading is more limited.

 

Now, for those that fly a small tailed 320/360 with a forward CG bias - uh, forget that.  Here are some notes from flying my 320.

1.  I made an error in my last email, I am only 13 hours short of 1000 in type, not 134.

2.  Level flight between 100 and 120 KIAS keeps my attention because it is so easy to see the speed deteriorate.  This speed range is used in instrument approach segments and VFR approach to the airport.  10 degrees of flaps are used to keep the nose down. 

3. Slow flight is practiced at between 85 to 90 KIAS for testing the emergency gear extension function (with flaps 10).  Mild maneuvering is included.  This also reminds me that the airplane does not like these speeds as the controls are mushy and the aircraft wallows in this regime.  If one assumes the "dirty" stall speed is around 69 CAS, then 1.3 times that is about 90 CAS.  I pay more attention in this realm because of item #4.

4. In any Lancair (or "slick airplane"), when things go bad, they go bad very fast.  This is not good when close to the ground.  I am between 75 and 85 KIAS when the landing is pretty much assured.  I don't do low, flat approaches. 

5. The downwind to base to final turn is more circular than square as I have more control over the final runway line up.  The AOA is referenced in these turns and any tightening up makes that reference more important. 

6. The takeoff is done at best power for the altitude.  Power is applied slowly at first until the wee rudder has some effect (about 40 KIAS).  The nose wheel is lightened and the craft is flown (not snatched) off as the IAS reaches 80.  Gear is retracted in the start of the low angle climb and then the flaps are retracted with immediate re-trim to keep the nose from pitching up.  Generally, climbs are achieved 135 KIAS (125 is OK in a pinch).  My overpowered lawn dart does not have a climb gradient problem and this procedure keeps me far from departure stalls, AOA notwithstanding.