This is obviously a CG and/or missing vortilons problem.
This is an old story problem and designers/builders should have
learned the lesson a long time ago.

Adding vortex generators to canards may make it even worse, since
it would have the canard stall at lower speed. The current solution
to the rain problem is the Roncz cannard design - which I assume
all recent designs use.

-----------------------------------------------------
Paul Lee, SQ2000 canard project: www.abri.com/sq2000

"JJS" jschneider@REMOVE THIS SPAM BLOCKpldi.net wrote in message ...
Richard,
I sat in the cockpit of the Velocity a few days before the
accident. During our conversation the pilot mentioned that there was
a 50 pound bag of lead shot up front near the battery. I may go out
to the airport today and look to see if it is still there. The front
end was damaged when he hit trees and it may have been thrown clear,
or he may have removed it. I've seen pictures of the "Vortilons" you
mention. His airplane did not have them. It did have an extension
below the wing at the wing tips. I had not considered the wing or
canard incidence being off. The airplane had approximately 50 hours
TT with only 6 or so hours on an overhaul. Although it was very cold,
there was no ice that day. It was my understanding that the vortex
generators were added to the canard to combat a problem with loss of
canard lift when flying through rain because the laminar airflow
detached when the wing surface disturbed. Is that correct? He
received a vortex generator kit with the airplane but it was not
installed at the time of the crash. I'm not sure if it was for both
wings or just the canard. I'm currently a spam can pilot with a dream
of building an RV someday and trying to learn all I can about
homebuilts. I'll read the information at the link you sent me and do
a little more research. He is a very good pilot but I wish my friend
had done his homework on this particular airplane. He told me that he
had already contacted the current factory owner when I urged him to
talk to other builders and Velocity pilots. I'm not sure if that was
before or after the purchase or for that matter if it was not entirely
true and he was trying to relieve my concern. I believe he was over
confident in his abilities. We had actually discussed the loss of at
least one Velocity that I'd read about a long time ago. He thought he
might be able roll out of a deep stall. I tried to subtly convince
him otherwise. Others at the airport tried to caution him to be
careful as well. I appreciate your help very much. It is my hope
that this thread develops into something useful for other
homebuilders.