Velocity Velocity

{{Short description|American homebuilt aircraft}} {{Infobox aircraft | name=Velocity | image=Lee David Velocity (N81VA).jpg | caption=Early production Velocity FG in flight | type=Homebuilt aircraft | national_origin=United States | manufacturer=Velocity Aircraft | designer= | first_flight=July 1985 | introduction= | retired= | status= | primary_user= | more_users=  | produced= 1985–present | number_built= | developed_from=Rutan Long-EZ | variants=Velocity XL, Rocket Racer }} The '''Velocity''' is a canard pusher aircraft produced as a kit by Velocity Aircraft.

== Design and development == The prototype Velocity, first flown in July 1985, was a four-seat composite kit aircraft based on the Rutan Long-EZ.<ref name=":1" /> The aircraft was initially offered only with fixed landing gear, but an option for retractable gear was introduced in 1990. An optional larger wing was introduced in 1992, which gave the aircraft similar flight characteristics to the Cessna 172. Aircraft fitted with this new wing were initially referred to as the "Model 173".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=About the Airplane Itself |url=http://www.velocityaircraft.com/airabout.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030608070807/http://www.velocityaircraft.com/airabout.html |archive-date=2003-06-08 |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=www.velocityaircraft.com}}</ref>

An enlarged variant of the Velocity was introduced in 1997 as the Velocity XL.<ref name=":0" />

==Variants== [[File:Velocity RG (N827PM, cn DMO-272) (4-10-2024).jpg|thumb|An original Velocity RG at Sun 'n Fun 2024. This aircraft has a retractable nose gear and fixed main gear.]] ;Velocity :Prototype and early production variant. Introduced in 1985.<ref name=":0" /> A retractable-gear variant was introduced in 1990 as the '''Velocity RG''', and the original fixed-gear variant became the '''Velocity FG'''.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=First Quarter 1996 |title='95 Contributor of the Year: Congratulations Hugh Hyde |url=http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V5.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714032012/http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V5.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2009 |magazine=Velocity Views |pages=1 |volume=5}}</ref> ;Velocity 173 :Variant fitted with an enlarged wing to improve performance. Offered in fixed-gear '''173 FG''' and retractable-gear '''173 RG''' variants.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Machado |first=Mark |last2=Machado |first2=Nancy |date=Third Quarter 1996 |title=Views from the West |url=http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V7.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714023944/http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V7.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2009 |magazine=Velocity Views |pages=3–6 |volume=7}}</ref> Later known as the '''Velocity LW'''.<ref name=":0" /> thumb|Velocity 173 RG Elite ;Velocity 173 Elite :Improved Velocity 173 with gull-wing doors, a full-length center console, adjustable bucket seats, and an enlarged windshield.<ref name=":3">{{Cite magazine |date=Third Quarter 1995 |title=Flying the New Elite! |url=http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V3.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714024600/http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V3.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2009 |magazine=Velocity Views |pages=1–2 |volume=3}}</ref> Offered in retractable-gear '''173 RG Elite''' and fixed-gear '''173 FG Elite''' variants.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=First Quarter 1996 |title=Views from the West |url=http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V5.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714032012/http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V5.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2009 |magazine=Velocity Views |pages=6–7 |volume=5}}</ref> The Elite eventually replaced the original Velocity as the standard variant.<ref name=":0" /> By the second quarter of 2000, "small wing" variants of the Elite were also available.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Swing |first=Scott |date=Second Quarter 2000 |title=Please check the Table of Contents for your Construction Manual |url=http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V22.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714031308/http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V22.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2009 |magazine=Velocity Views |pages=11–15 |volume=22}}</ref> ;Velocity SUV :"Sport Utility Velocity", low-cost variant with a single gull-wing door, dual-yoke controls, and only offered with fixed landing gear.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite magazine |last=Swing |first=Duane |date=Third Quarter 1998 |title=Factory News |url=http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V15.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714023408/http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V15.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2009 |magazine=Velocity Views |pages=3–4 |volume=15}}</ref> The prototype was powered by a fuel-injected {{Convert|170|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Lycoming O-320-B1A engine driving an MT-Propeller constant-speed propeller.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Swing |first=Duane |last2=Swing |first2=Scott |date=Fourth Quarter 1998 |title=Factory News |url=http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V16.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714025801/http://velocityaircraft.com/views/V16.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2009 |magazine=Velocity Views |volume=16}}</ref> Production aircraft were intended to be powered by a {{Convert|160|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Lycoming engine, though {{Convert|180|hp|kW|abbr=on}} or {{Convert|200|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Lycoming engines and a {{Convert|220|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Franklin engine were also certified.<ref name=":0" /> ;Velocity SE :"Standard Elite", replaced the SUV as the entry-level variant in 2002. The SE differs from the SUV primarily in that it has two doors, can be fitted with either a center-mounted control stick of a dual-control yoke, and is offered in both fixed-gear (as '''Velocity SE-FG''') and retractable-gear (as '''Velocity SE-RG''') variants.<ref name="KitplanesDec2011" /> Intended to be powered by either a {{convert|160|hp|abbr=on}} Lycoming IO-320 or a {{convert|200|hp|abbr=on}} Lycoming IO-360 engine.<ref name="va_SE2008">[http://www.velocityaircraft.com/airplane-models-se.html Velocity SE] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706232805/http://www.velocityaircraft.com/airplane-models-se.html |date=2010-07-06 }}, Velocity Aircraft website, 2008, accessed 2010-12-11.</ref> A total of 88 SE-FGs and 180 SE-RGs had been completed and flown by December 2011.<ref name="KitplanesDec2011">Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 75. Belvoir Publications. {{ISSN|0891-1851}}</ref> ;Velocity SE-2 :Improved SE with a wider cabin, increased fuel capacity, dual control sticks, and optional EFIS. In development as of 2022.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Bushell |first=Susan |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft: Development & Production 2022–2023 |publisher=Janes Information Services |year=2022 |isbn=978-0-7106-3396-5 |pages=1145}}</ref> ;Velocity UAV :Unmanned aerial vehicle variant developed by Proxy Aviation Systems. Three aircraft had been built by 2010.<ref name=":1" /> [[File:Xcor-rocketracer-N216MR-071029-07cr-7 (cropped).jpg|thumb|The prototype Rocket Racer, a modified Velocity SE climbing to {{convert|10000|ft|m}} on it first full flight, October 29, 2007, at the Mojave Spaceport]] ;Rocket Racer :The Mark-I X-Racer, a rocketplane design for the Rocket Racing League built on a Velocity SE airframe. It was built by XCOR Aerospace with an XCOR XR-4K14 {{cvt|1,500|lbf}} thrust rocket engine fuelled by LOX and kerosene.<ref name=xa20101227 >{{Cite web |url=http://www.xcor.com/products/index.html |title=Twin 400 lb-thrust XR-4A3 engines aboard the EZ-Rocket |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125130731/http://www.xcor.com/products/index.html |archive-date=2010-11-25 |publisher=XCOR Aerospace |access-date=2010-12-27 }}</ref> This rocket-powered aircraft flew several demonstration flights at the 2008 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh air show.<ref name=ut20090806 >[http://www.universetoday.com/2009/08/06/xcor-xracer-videos/ XCOR X-Racer], by Nancy Atkinson, ''Universe Today'', 2009-08-06, accessed 2010-04-26.</ref>

==Specifications (Velocity SE-RG IO-360)== {{Aircraft specs |ref=<ref name=velocityspecs>{{cite web|title=Production Aircraft Specifications|url=http://www.velocityaircraft.com/airplane-specifications.html|website=velocityaircraft.coml|access-date=22 November 2015|archive-date=12 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112122542/http://www.velocityaircraft.com/airplane-specifications.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> |prime units?=kts  |genhide=

|crew=1/2 |capacity=2/3 passengers / {{convert|1000|lb|abbr=on}} payload |length m= |length ft=19 |length in= |length note= |span m= |span ft=29 |span in=4 |span note= |height m= |height ft=7 |height in=9 |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft= |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=1300 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=2300 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity={{convert|60|USgal|l impgal|abbr=on}} |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name= Lycoming IO-360 |eng1 type=4-cyl. horizontally-opposed air-cooled piston engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=200 |eng1 shp= |eng1 kn= |eng1 lbf= |eng1 note= |power original= |thrust original= |eng1 kn-ab= |eng1 lbf-ab=

|max speed kmh= |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note= |max speed mach= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts=187 |cruise speed note=at 75% power *'''Landing speed:''' {{convert|70|kn|kph mph|abbr=on}} |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph= |stall speed kts=60 |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts=200 |never exceed speed note=IAS |range km= |range miles= |range nmi=1000 |range note=at 65% power |combat range km= |combat range miles= |combat range nmi= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range miles= |ferry range nmi= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=20000 |ceiling note= |g limits=+12 -7 |roll rate= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=1200 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft=18.88 |wing loading note= |fuel consumption kg/km= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass=

|more performance= |avionics= }}

== See also == {{aircontent  |see also=

|related= * Rutan Long-EZ * Velocity XL * Velocity V-Twin  |similar aircraft= * Berkut 360 * Cozy MK IV * Raptor Aircraft Raptor * Rutan Defiant * Rutan VariEze  |lists=

|similar engines=

}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category|Velocity Velocity}} * [http://www.velocityaircraft.com Velocity aircraft]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Velocity Velocity}} Category:1990s United States civil utility aircraft Category:Canard aircraft Category:Homebuilt aircraft Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft Category:Mid-wing aircraft