Blue Hauler. I agree with you 100%. The 1.3Vs technique is the safest way to go. But by the very nature of the extra speed above the stall which must be dissipated by floating (in order to touch down at the stall), means that there is no such animal as a precautionary landing in terms of the actual handling technique. All it is, is a normal landing albeit more carefully aimed at a specific touch-down point.
Interestingly, one hears instructor briefings on the precautionary landing that emphasise that there is no float because of the low approach and flare speed and that power is kept on right to the flare lest one stalls if power is reduced prematurely. How can this be so if 1.3Vs Vref is 30% above the stall?
I believe that the misconception of the aircraft falling out of the sky if you use 1.3Vs at the fence, is a throw back to when precautionary landings were always at 1.1Vs - where the float was zero. Somehow, the myth has been passed down over the years that one is always on the razor's edge of a stall on a precautionary landing. Not so if you are using the Flight Manual recommendation of 1.3Vs- which is the speed used in the landing tables.
Also the speed at 50 feet means nothing except that when carrying out certification flight tests the speed chosen for approach must be maintained to 50 feet as a certification standard. It does not mean that the pilot can now make a dirty dive at the deck with all bets off at fifty feet.
If John_at Tullamarine is watching this thread perhaps he can clarify this?