Velocity XL
Velocity XL with fixed-gear
Role Homebuilt aircraft
Manufacturer Velocity, Inc.
Number built 229 (December 2011)

The Velocity XL (XL: Extra Large) is an American amateur-built aircraft, produced by Velocity, Inc. It is an enlarged version of their Velocity SE canard pusher design.[1][2]

Design and development

Gear retraction of a Velocity on takeoff

The Velocity XL is 12 in (310 mm) longer and has a 20 in (510 mm) greater span than the SE.[3] The standard XL has a cruising range of 875 nautical miles (1,620 km; 1,007 mi) and a 75% power cruising speed of 185 knots (213 mph; 343 km/h) air speed.[2][4][5]

The XL is available in both fixed gear (FG) and retractable gear (RG) form and can accommodate either three or four passengers plus a pilot. The five seat versions, the XL-5 and the TXL-RG-5, have a rear bench seat for three rather than the alternative separate pair of seats.[1][2][5][6]

Engines available as kits from the manufacturer for all models are the Lycoming IO-360 of 180 to 200 hp (134 to 149 kW), Lycoming IO-540 of 260 to 300 hp (194 to 224 kW), Continental IO-550 of 310 to 350 hp (231 to 261 kW) and the Franklin 6A350C1 of 205 to 235 hp (153 to 175 kW).[1][2][7] Builders may use these manufacturer kits or design their own engine installations using a variety of other engines of similar power output.

Variants

Velocity XL-RG
Velocity V-Twin
Velocity XL-FG
Fixed landing gear version with a gross weight of 2,700 lb (1,225 kg). Forty had been completed and flown by December 2011.[1]
Velocity XL-FG-5
Fixed landing gear version with a gross weight of 2,900 lb (1,315 kg). Twenty-one had been completed and flown by December 2011.[1]
Velocity XL-RG
Retractable landing gear version, with a gross weight of 2,700 lb (1,225 kg). 150 had been completed and flown by December 2011.[1]
Velocity TXL-RG-5
Retractable landing gear version, with gross weight of 2,900 lb (1,315 kg). Eighteen had been completed and flown by December 2011.[1]
Velocity V-Twin
Twin engine prototype, three built, powered by two Superior IO-320-A engines.[8]

Rocket Racers

Rocket Racer at Tulsa International Airport, April 2010

The now-defunct Rocket Racing League utilized a highly modified Velocity XL FG airframe and an Armadillo Aerospace 2,500 pound thrust liquid oxygen (LOX) and ethanol rocket engine in both its Mark-II X-Racer and Mark-III X-Racer demonstration vehicles. The Mark-II utilized a standard fixed-gear Velocity XL airframe, modified for rocket propulsion. The Mark-III airframe was more extensively customized during manufacture, explicitly for rocket racing, with a canopy top, center seat and control stick and other enhancements, in addition to the rocket propulsion added to the Mark-II.[9]

Specifications (XL-RG)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2013/14[3]

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Capacity: Three
  • Length: 20 ft 0 in (6.10 m)
  • Wingspan: 31 ft 0 in (9.45 m) rear wing; forewing 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m)
  • Height: 8 ft 5 in (2.56 m)
  • Wing area: 102 sq ft (9.5 m2) rear wing.
  • Empty weight: 1,700 lb (771 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 2,701 lb (1,225 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 265 L (58 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Continental IO-550 air-cooled flat six, 310 hp (230 kW)
  • Propellers: 3-bladed Catto

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 240 mph (380 km/h, 210 kn) normal at 75% power
  • Stall speed: 75 mph (121 km/h, 65 kn)
  • Range: 1,150 mi (1,850 km, 1,000 nmi) at 65% power
  • g limits: +9/-7
  • Take-off run: 1,300 ft (396 m)
  • Landing run: 1,500 ft (457 m)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 75. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 125. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. 1 2 Jackson, Paul A. (2013). Jane's All the World's Aircraft : development & production : 2013-14. IHS Global. pp. 968–9. ISBN 978-0-7106-3040-7.
  4. ↑ Insite. "Velocity Aircraft". Velocity Aircraft. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  5. 1 2 Insite. "Velocity Aircraft". Velocity Aircraft. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  6. ↑ Insite. "Velocity Aircraft". Velocity Aircraft. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  7. ↑ Velocity, Inc. (2016). "Engine Installation Kits". Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  8. ↑ Federal Aviation Administration (June 29, 2016). "N-Number Inquiry Results". Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  9. ↑ Rocket Racing League Announces Milestone Development in X-Racer Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine, press release, 2010-03-10, accessed 2010-05-03.
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