Ratherbeflying, you said:
Incipient Spin recovery is another matter and must be demonstrated for certification.
You are correct, however this appears to be the exact part of FAR 23.221 that the SR20/22 does not comply with. The Reg reads in part:
FAR § 23.221 Spinning.
(a) Normal category airplanes. A single-engine, normal category airplane must be able to recover from a one-turn spin or a three-second spin, whichever takes longer, in not more than one additional turn after initiation of the first control action for recovery, or demonstrate compliance with the optional spin resistant requirements of this section.
(1) The following apply to one turn or three second spins:
(i) For both the flaps-retracted and flaps-extended conditions, the applicable airspeed limit and positive limit maneuvering load factor must not be exceeded;
(ii) No control forces or characteristic encountered during the spin or recovery may adversely affect prompt recovery;
(iii) It must be impossible to obtain unrecoverable spins with any use of the flight or engine power controls either at the entry into or during the spin; and
(iv) For the flaps-extended condition, the flaps may be retracted during the recovery but not before rotation has ceased.
(2) At the applicant's option, the airplane may be demonstrated to be spin resistant by the following:
(i) During the stall maneuver contained in §23.201, the pitch control must be pulled back and held against the stop. Then, using ailerons and rudders in the proper direction, it must be possible to maintain wings-level flight within 15 degrees of bank and to roll the airplane from a 30 degree bank in one direction to a 30 degree bank in the other direction;
(ii) Reduce the airplane speed using pitch control at a rate of approximately one knot per second until the pitch control reaches the stop; then, with the pitch control pulled back and held against the stop, apply full rudder control in a manner to promote spin entry for a period of seven seconds or through a 360 degree heading change, whichever occurs first. If the 360 degree heading change is reached first, it must have taken no fewer than four seconds. This maneuver must be performed first with the ailerons in the neutral position, and then with the ailerons deflected opposite the direction of turn in the most adverse manner. Power and airplane configuration must be set in accordance with §23.201(e) without change during the maneuver. At the end of seven seconds or a 360 degree heading change, the airplane must respond immediately and normally to primary flight controls applied to regain coordinated, unstalled flight without reversal of control effect and without exceeding the temporary control forces specified by §23.143(c); and
(iii) Compliance with §§23.201 and 23.203 must be demonstrated with the airplane in uncoordinated flight, corresponding to one ball width displacement on a slip-skid indicator, unless one ball width displacement cannot be obtained with full rudder, in which case the demonstration must be with full rudder applied.
This Reg further states the requirements for "utility" and "acrobatic" category aircraft, but the SR20/22 are not certified for acrobatics, they are "normal" catagory aircraft.
My point is that the SR20/22 do not appear to be certified to this particular Regulation for "normal" catagory aircraft, and this appears to have been waved because of the CAPS system. So my question still stands, was this a bad idea?