[surreal1221]

The DA20 (Eclipse, and Evolution, not a huge fan of the Katana) are extremely fun airplanes to fly. Really can't speak too much about them to be honest. Back when the dollar meant something, and if I had the financial capability, I would have purchased one and leased it back to the school.

I flew a less than 200 hour DA20 out of Dallas all the way back to Atlanta and had a great time.

In regards to forward slipping, I've never really had any trouble with the manuever. May just be a matter of technique.

The first forward slip I did in the plan was when I was working on my IA about a year ago. Coming from a 172 where you never slip with full flaps (certain exceptions of course), I was extremely hesistant to slip it in when I was fully configured with flaps at LDG. But, it went well.

What I learned after doing them over and over again to get a better feel was that it's really an extremely lower power setting manuever, if not even idle before coming out of it in the round out to soften (if needed) the descent rate. That, combined with initiating it with the rudder first, then turning the ailerons over also seemed to be a much better technique for all the students I taught them to.

YMMV