It's after midnight, why aren't you sleeping???
I fly a 173 RG so it's probably not what you're looking for. It would be a step down from an SR22. An XL is definitely worth looking into.
I'll give you a brief review on the basics of a 173 and flying a canard. It was designed by the original designer / owner of Velocity to compete as a trainer with the C-172...hence the 173. With its longer wing and canard it was to be an easier more docile aircraft than the SE.
On the ground you've got a castering nose wheel so like the SR22, you can turn on a dime. Obviously differential braking for turns while taxiing. Mine, like others uses a go cart tire up front. Without tread, you don't run the risk of rocks getting spun into the prop.
Mine has a Catto cruise prop so I use a good bit of runway on takeoff. I only get around 2300 RPM on takeoff roll and it takes almost 2300 ft to get airborne. Once cleaned up with the gear up I get about 1100 FPM climb with me and full fuel at 100 Kts. Very little right rudder required.
Leveling off in cruise I'll get 160 KTAS running 2500 RPM. Most comfortable plane I've ever flown. You sit semi reclined with your right arm resting in the middle cushion and your left on the strake recess. Roll rate is light but pitch is pretty stiff. Pitch and roll are both electrically trimmed. It's easily flown hands off. I have a basic heading hold but I never use it. Actually flew IMC from Savannah all the way to Sebastian (1+30) hands in the whole way. Not fatiguing at all.
The rudders only deflect outward and because they're mounted so far out from the longitudinal axis, they induce a lot of roll. So much so that I guarantee I could bank 60 degrees just with pedal as fast as a C-172 can with yoke. Not a very good x-wind trait though. A far amount of cross controlling involved. Also the winglets or "tip sails" are said to produce a slight amount of thrust to offset their drag.
The big selling point is not being able to stall the main wing. Your canard will be stalled and you'll be coming down at around 58-60 kts and around 500-700 FPM but the main wing will keep flying. Yes, a higher speed than a comparable tractor configuration (RV-10) but you'll never spin in even if you panick. Just the other day I took a guy up for a demo and had the throttle at idle, stick all the way back to the stop and I kicked full pedal left and right; no spin. Obviously you can turn with ailerons in this stalled mode as well. I've attached a vid of the pitch buck at stall. Oh yeah, while I would agree that 60 kts sounds excessive to be coming down engine out, these aircraft are so clean and wing span so long that they have excellent glide ratios. I've never been able to find one on the Velocity but I've seen other similar canards listed anywhere from 15:1 to 18:1.
Book approach speeds are 90-100 kts but that's crazy fast. I use 80 kts final and she'll still float a ways down the runway. On landing they can be a handful. Several pilots have gotten into PIOs because of over controlling. They end up forcing the aircraft down and crushing the gear. Mine is particularly sensitive in pitch with a change in CG. Its really easy to land single pilot but throw in two pax and it really becomes a bear. It's not like a Cessna where you do a big flare just prior to stall either. You'll find yourself with a stalled canard and the nose slamming into the pavement.
Really the only complaint with mine is the "top lid" door. Huge pain in the butt to get people in and out. I trained in the 173 FG at the factory and it had gullwing doors. So easy to get in and out of. Believe that thing just went up for sale as well. I would really prefer the added speed with the SE's shorter wings and canard also.
Well that's all I can think of for now. My recommendation if you did become serious in buying one, would be to get a demo ride in the XL. 300 HP, about 210 KTAS and way more room than mine. If you can't go down there, they have a good sales DVD that covers building and flying an SE and an XL. I really could've gotten a nice used M-20C or even that Debonair that's for sale on POA but the looks, the handling and the ability to use cheaper, non certified avionics are what sold me. Definitely attracts attention on the flightline as well.
