...don't wanna hijack, but I fly an HRII, and I believe it's the best possible mix of all the various things I'd like in an aircraft. ast, slow, right side up, upside down, HUGE load carrying capacity, maneuverable....Obviously these vary from owner to owner, but I think it has much better low speed manners than a Lancair, from what I've read. 200 knots, honest ones, are nearly as good as 240, in the real world, and being able to slow her up to use a 900 foot strip is great...and damn good for precautionary landings. Try putting a Lancair into a farm paddock if you had to, and I'll betcha the chances are higher that you'll come unstuck. Seriously aerobatic, lighter wing loading, solid - and welded - undercarriage (which I think is a real plus), and - my favourite bit - very, very simple to operate. I'm reasonably experienced, although nothin like some of the fellas on Pprune - but I see the simplicity as being all about margin. In other words, I presume with appropriate training I could handle a Lancair, or for that matter a P-51, but if a Rocket is easier to fly, then that's all good when the chips (and the ceilings) are down. And easy doesn't mean boring, I promise
Not trying to steer anyone away from the Lancair, about which I know jack$&it, and I confess I gaze lustfully at the IV-P (turbine) myself....so much as confirm from 500 joyful hours in the HRII that it's a hell of a machine, and in my opinion a pretty safe one too. Certainly, I'd recommend looking around as much as poss before settling on any particular machine, and I applaud the idea of getting a flight or two in as many different machines as you can con the owners into taking you on. If you made it to Queenstown NZ I know someone who'd take you flying in a Harmon Rocket, just, well, cos it's there