Comments

Minimum speed of 62 knots for all single engine airplanes? That is not necessarily an absolut saftey feature. This number was set at a time, where the aerodynamics, stall caracteristics and handling qualities including autopilots of small airplanes were generally not so far developed as they could be with mordern designs today. It is the question if this number of 62 knots is a blessing or a relict of technical possibilities of older decades. When slow means safe there is a discrepance in conjunction with flying. Flying was always fast. And the mainly benefit for flying is a shorter time to travel with higher speed. The slow stall speed of 62 knots has a negative impact to make planes faster, ergo to get more benefits out of it by shorter travel time and less fuel consumtion. With a higher minimum stall speed for example of 90 knots for high performance airplanes instead of 62 knots, an airplane can be designed with smaller wings with less drag and with a more lightweight mechanical construction of the airframe and flap system in many ways. A higher stall speed would have only benefits. With new rules for the design of § 23 single engine airplanes this should be checked. There is no no safety problem. The accident rate is extremly low. Small airplanes are safe enough. The main question for the future is if smaller planes can hold up with the generell development to faster, cheaper and more comfortable transportation as we see it in airline transportation. Very often in the past new burdensome regulations found their way through wishes from the industry, or parts of the industry. How often I heard “If we can save one life it is worth that (complication) and that..(additional equipment)". One example of this bad practice he discussion for safety belts in small airplanes. But this lobbying does not help to reactivate small airplane production. It is driving it deeper and deeper in the mess. The new small planes have to become cheaper, faster, more fuel efficient, more comfortable and better silenced as they are now. And all that with a §23 certification what is much less expensive and much less difficult as it is today. This are not unrealistic wishes. This is an absolute must when small airplanes for private transportation should survive in the future.