In a message dated 5/14/2006 3:18:38 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, naf@britevalley.com writes:

Sunday pm, no LIV building today, a glass of nice Chard to help the motor skills on the key board and a loss of self control prompt me to comment:

Pull back on the stick and zoom to as near vertical as the wing loading allows, rudder the nose back down (also near vertical) and towards the desired heading (runway) as the airspeed passes thru about 50 kts, keep the Gs near zero as the plane accelerates due to gravity and gradually begin a round out passing about 500 feet on the way back to the airport.  You know, it is standard instruction in a glider to turn back to the airport at any altitude above 200 feet agl in case of a tow line break, and I have had the opportunity at about 200 feet agl and everything was just fine.  Sure there is the wing loading thing, but my point is life in the wild blue is not as scary as some of you wish to make it.  And don't forget that aviation is a three dimensional opportunity--learn to use the vertical when making a min energy turn.

Safe airplanes:  I built a LongEZ over 20 years ago and have flown it for all of that time with many fellow builder/pilots.  Burt did a fine job designing a forgiving, easily operated simple airplane, and 1000s of builders have refined it over the years--making it even better.  And yet smart, experienced folks kill themselves by flying too low, too slow, or making bad decisions (John Denver is the most famous example here).  It has fluttered and had winglets depart because of bad workmanship.  Any airplane can be a challenge to all of us sometime, and yet any airplane can be safely flown by some of us sometime.  So lets not snip at Lancair, or Lancairs, or any particular airplane because a member of our community has been killed.  Lets tip a glass to his memory, take joy in his friendship, learn something from his experience and remember the bonds are indeed surely when next you give them the slip. 

paul