Gidday wethereyet, spot on on all counts.
REX procedures dictate a minimum airspeed of 160 KIAS when operating the aircraft in icing conditions, and 170 KIAS for holding in said conditions. Also as noted in the AOM, IAS mode is the only vertical mode to be used when climbing in such conditions. The only exception to this is during transets from one speed to another. Nothwithstanding the unpredictabilities of stall margins, and the possibility of little or no stall warning in extreme conditions, if the aircraft in all these scenerios had been operated thus, the upsets would not have occured.
The recomendation by the NTSB to require crews to hand fly the aircraft in icing conditions I'm not so sure about. The autopilot in the SAAB although a generation old is still a beautiful piece of kit. Used properly, it most definitely enhanses the crew's situational awareness, and if operated in the correct modes and speeds would have had no bearing on these events.
The SAAB 2000 is a "furfie". Only 60 + were made. IMHO a fantastic bit of gear (although I admit to never having flown one). They were truely a next generation aircraft and a testiment to the Swedes technical abilities. It was however a commercial failure, which is a shame because it certainly would have suited some REX routes. It is also a relatively dissimilar type that would require a seperate type endorsement, simulator, SOP's, EP's, etc, etc.... This would have meant 2 seperately endorsed pilot groups divided along the lines of aircraft type. Very expensive and a nightmare for crewing, especially in these times. The 340C was on the drawing board when SAAB decided to get out of the small airliner market. Essentially a 340 with all the 2000 gear. Now that would have been a terrific fleet mix. But alas.....
Finally.. "Unfortunately It is all based on a Business model where pilot labour is cheap."
Mate, never a truer word spoken, and I am sad to say, that will ultimately decide the fate of REX.