Posted for Dan O'Brien <limadelta@gmail.com>:

 This is not meant to be disrespectful. I corresponded with Shannon while he
 was building his electrical system and learned a helluva lot. I'm very, very
 sad about what happened.
 
 I would think an oil temperature climbing to and through the redline ought
 to be considered an absolute emergency, a forecast of imminent engine
 failure. It says as much in Continental manual. How could it happen that a
 ship equipped with all the modern marvels, including a GPS with a nearest
 airport function, would fly past a perfectly suitable landing site when such
 an emergency presents itself? The standard teaching in such emergencies is
 1) control the airplane, and 2) find the nearest suitable landing site. This
 is practiced every flight review.
 
 Are you ready to land at the nearest airport when such an emergency presents
 itself to you? I'm not sure that you are. Are you conservative with respect
 to your estimated fuel on board? I'm not sure that you are. Do you recognize
 that you could be ripped apart by a thunderstorm? I'm not sure that you do.
 Do you respect the lift penalty imposed by ice on laminar flow wings? I'm
 not sure that your do. The insurance folks at EAA/Sun-N-Fun told me that a
 250 hour instrument rated pilot (me) can't even get liability in a "plastic"
 plane -- not even in an ES -- because of Lancair's accident record. Is an ES
 harder to fly than a Bonanza or Mooney? Pilots I talk to say: "no way." Then
 why am I insurable in a Bonanza or Mooney, but not in an ES? The answer is
 pretty simple: Lancair pilots make too many errors. We make so many errors,
 the Columbia is trying like crazy to distance itself from the kit side of
 the company.
 
 We need to do better, lots lots better. If you can't say for sure whether
 you're ready to land at the nearest airport when you're oil temp goes past
 redline, or whether you're conservative about fuel on board, or whether
 you're nervous about thunderstorms, or whether you understand the
 implications of ice on laminar flow wings, then please get yourself
 re-oriented with a fresh flight review from an instructor who can provide
 good advice on these questions.
 
 Sorry about the soap box nature of the post. Call it frustration. I have a
 thick skin. Have at me.