Velocity News

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Velocity News

VOBA'S VELOCITY NEWS
Issue 2015-06
Velocity
News
Summer 2015
Member Profile
Brazilian Beauty
by Pedro Mello
I purchased my Velocity, an SE-RG
(PP-XCX), from a Brazilian
gentleman named Francisco
1990 and have since
Honorato de Oliveira; a skilled
served as an aerobatic
canard builder, pilot, and aviation
flight instructor, aerial
enthusiast. After he’d assembled a
demonstration pilot, and airframe
few two-place canards, Francisco
& powerplant
bought an SE-RG
In
past
editions
of
Velocity
News,
mechanic
kit from Velocity,
we’ve
met
Canardians
from
licensed by
Inc. in 1993. He
Argentina,
Australia,
Canada,
and
ANAC (Agência
spent the next
Italy.
In
this
issue,
we’ll
journey
to
Nacional de
several years
Brazil with experienced pilot and
Aviação Civil
working on the
aircraft mechanic Pedro Mello to
[National Civil
plane, but for
learn a bit about his aviation
Aviation
personal reasons
odyssey and how he became the
Agency]). For
he stopped the
owner of an SE-RG.
-Editor
the past 25
assembly process
years, I’ve
and left the
worked in experimental aircraft
aircraft in storage for about a
maintenance – as well as on some
decade. He never completed the
certified models – and I have a
plane, and as he aged his vision
shop that’s well equipped for
worsened, so he ultimately
repairs and construction.
resolved to sell the airplane. I
I became a pilot in
In this Issue
Member Profile: Pedro Mello, Brazil
Letters to the Editor: Time To Build
From the Factory:
Velocity Events:
Our Builders:
Closed Doors
Fly-Ins
Trim Motor Wiring
Our Builders: Door Latch Upgrade
Velocity Views: Twenty Years Ago
Experimental Aircraft: 30 and Aging
Our Builders: Safety Wire Anchors
Our Builders: DIY Mounting Points
First Flight:
Hiroo Umeno N21HV
FAA Data:
Aircraft Updates
VOBA'S VELOCITY NEWS | Issue 2015-06
PP-XCX AFTER ~10 YEARS IN STORAGE
learned about Mr.
Oliveira’s Velocity through a pilot
friend, and I eventually purchased
his plane and transported it by
truck to my shop.
2
make
additional
modifications
&
improvements. I added
unidirectional carbon fiber to the
main gear legs; performed various
finishing touches; replaced the
flexible hydraulic lines and
inspected the [hydraulic] system’s
Resuming Construction
Mr. Oliveira’s aircraft was nearly
complete, but I decided to redo
some parts in more detail and
PP-XCX'S NEW &
IMPROVED MAIN
LANDING GEAR
other
components; and
scrutinized all the
engine accessories,
as well as the fuel
lines, oil system,
paint, etc. PP-XCX is
now in airworthy
condition, and I’ve
begun the flight-testing
(equivalent to Phase I) stage, which
has included combating high CHTs.
In fact, it was through my internet
research on this problem that I
came across VOBA and its wealth
of interesting subjects,
construction techniques, and
solutions to common builder
problems.
I read with great interest David
Ullman’s article Vortex Generators
to Enhance Pusher Aircraft Cooling
[Winter 2014 issue –Ed.]. I found
his tests very intriguing and “very
technical;” I’m studying mechanical
engineering and have had classes
covering the boundary layer and
the Reynolds number (Re). I
applied his technique and saw
my CHTs drop from 450°F to
350-380°F (depending on the
VELOCITY BUILDER DAVID
ULLMAN'S WORK ON VGS FOR
COOLING WAS HELPFUL.
3
PEDRO'S ONGOING ENGINE
COOLING WORK HAS SIGNIFICANTLY
LOWERED PP-XCX'S CHTS.
phase of flight). I’m
also very happy with the work I’ve
done on the baffles and the engine
cowling.
Airborne in PP-XCX
At this point, my Velocity has 18
total flight hours. I’ve not yet done
any long-range flying in it,Pas I first
P
want to finish up the flight-testing
phase and complete the remaining
X
U are
finishing touches. Once these
V
done, I’ll be able to enjoy more
:
relaxed crossA
B
R
A
Z
I
L
I
A
N
R
E
G
I
S
T
E
R
E
country
flights. Before PPXCX, I’d never flown a
canard – though I have
experience in a variety of airplanes,
including taildraggers. I read the
operating manual thoroughly and
did a series of high-speed taxi tests
before eventually launching
skyward in the SE-RG.
I really like the airplane and have
found it easy to operate – provided
one respects the operating limits.
My only complaint is the need for
[relatively] long runways in order to
enjoy smooth takeoffs; Brazil
doesn’t have
an abundance of lengthy airstrips –
especially inland. I operate from an
800-meter (2,625-ft) long dirt strip
on a farm where I have a hangar.
While both runway ends are free of
obstacles, the strip sits at an
elevation of 2,250 ft, and summer
temperatures average 30°C (86°F).
I haven’t done the math, but I
doubt I would be able to depart
with half tanks (130 liters [34 US
gallons]) and three aboard (I’m
using a two-blade, composite
fixed-pitch prop).
- Pedro Mello
São Miguel Arcanjo, SP, Brazil
PP-XCX
Issue 2015-06
Experimental Aircraft Construction in Brazil
by Stephen Lewis
According to ANAC records, there
were 4,958 registered
experimental aircraft in Brazil as of
2013. Of these, four were
Velocities: PP-XCX (Pedro’s SERG), PP-XPC (XL-RG), PP-XUV (173RG; formerly N27BK), and PT-ZDM
(model unspecified). Below is a
brief summary of the procedures
necessary to import, register, and
construct an aircraft in Brazil.
Amateur-Built Aircraft
Construction
In order to construct a homebuilt
aircraft in Brazil, the potential
builder must begin the
registration/approval process
established by ANAC prior to
commencing construction. This
process includes completing
document F-100-50A (Framework
Request for Experimental and Light
Sport Aircraft), including the
applicable attachments specified in
Section 4. Once assembled, the
completed documentation can be
mailed or delivered in person to
the:
Grupo de Aviação Experimental e
Leve Esportiva
Rua Laurent Martins, 209
Jardim Esplanada
São José dos Campos, SP 12.242431
Brasil
Additionally, it’s highly
recommended that potential
homebuilders become familiar with
the applicable sections of RHBA
103A (for ultralights) and/or IS
21.191-001A (Amateur-Built
Aircraft), which is heavily based on
the FAA’s Advisory Circular AC 2027G (Certification and Operation of
Amateur-Built Aircraft). The builder
must also show that (s)he plans to
construct at least 51% of the
aircraft – unless the build meets the
exemption conditions specified in
21.191(g)(2)*.
* To qualify for the exemption
specified in 21.191(g)(2), the aircraft in
question must meet RBHA 103A’s
definition of an ultralight vehicle, its
construction must have been
completed (with supporting
documentation) by 1 December 2014,
and the majority of the craft’s
assembly must have taken place in
Brazil.
Homebuilders are encouraged to use
form F-100-81 (Manufacturing and
Assembly Task List) to help ensure
their builds comply with the “51%
Rule.”
Registering an Aircraft
To register an aircraft in Brazil, the
owner/operator must complete the
following: 1). Reserve the aircraft’s
registration (i.e. “Tail”) number 2).
Register the aircraft’s title or
similar instrument that grants
him/her the right to operate the
aircraft 3). Provide all other
required documents necessary to
prove his/her identity, address, the
aircraft’s history, compliance with
customs and tax requirements, as
well as evidence of insurance.
General information on the
process, including the documents
necessary to register the aircraft,
reserve its tail number, etc. is
available on the Brazilian
Aeronautical Registry’s website at
http://www2.anac.gov.br/rab/.
Importing an Aircraft to Brazil
When importing an aircraft to
Brazil, the first step is to verify the
aircraft has a type certificate in its
country of origin. Then, confirm
this type certificate is validated in
Brazil (by ANAC) or that the aircraft
in question is exempt from the
issuance of a Brazilian type
certificate. This validation process
follows the procedures set forth in
Information Circular CI Nº 21-010D
(Procedures for Approval of
Imported Civil Aeronautical
Products), which should be
referenced in conjunction with FAA
Advisory Circular AC 21-2L
(Complying with the Requirements
of Importing Countries or
Jurisdictions When Exporting U.S.
Products, Articles, or Parts).
The validation request must be
submitted by the primary
owner/authority of the aircraft in
question.
ANAC charges for these services,
with the current applicable fees
available at
http://www2.anac.gov.br/gru.asp.
If the aircraft type is certified, then
it can also be registered. Among
the documents that must be
submitted are: 1). Import
Declaration issued by the
Department of Federal Revenue
2). Document of non-registration
or deregistration issued by the
exporting authority directly to the
Brazilian Aeronautical Registry 3).
Aircraft’s Bill of Sale – notarized
and legalized/certified by the
embassy or a consulate and
accompanied by a translation by a
sworn public translator.
5
Letters to the Editor
Time to Build
From Andy Millin
The Straight Kit
In a straight kit, the builder receives
the fuselage as two “canoes.” No
doors, no windows, nothing joined.
The wings and canard are a kit. They
come as spars, blocks of cut foam, rolls
of glass, and buckets of epoxy.
typical builder will come away with
completed strakes in two weeks. The
Factory Assistance Program can be
expensive; however, it might shave
close to a year off the aircraft
construction time.
FastBuild
Options
Thanks for another
great newsletter. I
particularly enjoyed the
piece How Long Does it Take?
There are a couple of things I
believe have a significant impact on
build time. First are the FastBuild
options. Interested builders can buy
the kit straight (which is what I did) or
with one (or both) of the FastBuild
alternatives.
For around
$20K, you can
get a FastBuild
kit, which
comes with the
wings and
canard finished
through primer.
The fuselage
comes assembled
and on rolling
landing gear.
Doors and windows
are also installed. I
spent the first 3-4
years of my project getting my plane
to this point. A FastBuild builder
starts at this point.
The Head Start
Program
Next is The Factory
Assistance (aka Head
Start) Program. The
builder takes delivery of
his/her kit at The
Velocity Factory. (S)he
works with the Velocity
staff, usually getting the
strakes closed (which took
me eight months). The
FastBuild kit after two weeks at The
Velocity Factory. This is Reiff &
Melissa Lorenz’s XL-RG, N142AZ.
Financial Considerations
Then there is the money issue, which –
for most – is no small factor. An RG
Velocity costs more to construct and
insure than an FG. While there are a
number of considerations when
choosing which model to go with,
money is usually at the top of the list.
You’ve no doubt heard the adage, “If
you have to ask, you can’t afford it…”
Well, there are builders who are
making financial sacrifices to build and
own a Velocity, and there are those
who can say, “I want the fastest,
coolest airplane possible, and I’m not
worried about what it costs.” Well, the
fastest, coolest Velocity is (in my
humble opinion) the XL-5 RG. An XL-5
RG will usually come with either a
300HP Lycoming or, more often than
not, a Continental IO-550N. Either
engine will cost north of $50K; some
as much as $85K.
If one can afford the goodies, it’s a
safe bet (s)he will opt for the FastBuild
options, and possibly an extended stay
at The Factory for ongoing assistance.
If you have the money and the drive,
you can significantly shorten the
required build time.
I’m not poor-mouthing the FastBuild
or Head Start options, but I did not
have the $$$ to pursue those
alternatives. For what it’s worth, Ken
Baker once said I had the nicest,
N949WR: PILE OF PARTS TO
OSHKOSH STUNNER IN 13 MONTHS
6
cheapest Velocity around. I take
pride in that. :)
I believe the route a builder
chooses to pursue is a major
factor in completion time. I must
emphasize that even with the
FastBuild options and The
Factory Head Start Program,
there is still a lot of elephant left
to eat. Either choice is simply a
quick start on a very long project.
BUILDING A VELOCITY IS LIKE EATING AN ELEPHANT
A Trailblazing Build
As a side note, Wes Rose took delivery
of a complete (i.e. straight) XL-RG kit.
No FastBuild, no Head Start. He built
the airplane and flew it to Oshkosh a
mere 13 months later (in finished paint
and interior). This is the quickest I’ve
ever heard of anyone constructing a
Velo without Factory assistance. [Wes’
XL-RG, N949WR, is featured in the 4th
Quarter 2000 edition of Velocity Views
– Ed.]
Building a plane in that short a time
requires the engine, avionics, prop,
etc. to all be sitting on the shelf
waiting to be installed. Wes painted
his plane and had Bill McFadden do
the interior. He also had the schedule
flexibility that allowed him to devote
significant attention to his project.
Additionally, it was his second
Velocity.
These are just my opinions and might
be overly simplistic. Thanks again for
another outstanding issue,
Andy Millin
Plainwell, MI
N114MV (XL-FG)
http://www.kal-soft.com/velocity
Editor’s Note: Currently, Velocity, Inc.’s
website lists the FastBuild Wings &
Canard option at $13,650 and the
FastBuild Fuselage alternative at
$9,450 (for both Fixed-Gear and
Retractable kits). The Head Start
Program costs $150/week for a work
area at the Velocity Service Center, and
assistance from Velocity technicians is
billed at $80/hr. For more details on
these options, visit
www.VelocityAircraft.com.
7
From the Factory
Door Opening in Flight
By Duane Swing
BEING DISTRACTED BY A
DEPARTED DOOR HAS CAUSED
A NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS.
Recently we have
seen a pair of Velocity
flights where the copilot’s
landing, and a replacement door
is now being constructed. In the
second occurrence, things
didn’t work out so well. Again,
the door unsafe light was ON,
but the pilot didn’t notice it
before the door came open just
after liftoff. In this case, the door
remained attached to the aircraft. A
degree of panic ensued, and the pilot
attempted an off-runway landing –
with less-than-ideal results. The plane
is considered a total loss, though,
fortunately, the pilot experienced only
minor injuries.
Sooooo…what lessons can we all learn
from these two
examples? First of
all, always conduct
A closed – but unlatched – door a proper (meaning
“thorough”) preis incredibly easy to overlook departure
inspection. This
door was not latched and
should include verifying that the
came open soon after takeoff. We
copilot door is not only closed, but also
can all learn a lesson or two from both
LATCHED. I have
instances. In the first case, the pilot
preached this for
only had a few Velocity flight hours
many years. A
prior to the door opening. The door
closed – but
warning light was ON, but the pilot
unlatched – door
didn’t notice it in time. The door
is incredibly easy
departed the airplane and – as of this
to overlook;
writing – still has not been found.
especially if the
airplane sits for
A Velocity is controllable with or
any length of
without a door – provided the pilot
time between
doesn’t panic and instead reacts with
flights. To
proper control inputs. In the above
prevent this,
instance, the pilot made a normal
either leave
the door open or close it and LATCH it.
Also, should you ever experience a
door opening in-flight, please make
every effort not to panic; just
concentrate on flying the airplane. In
every such (Velocity) case we know of,
the departing door has not contacted
the prop, so normal power has been
available and the controls were not
affected. Again: Don’t panic; just fly
the plane. Even better, always conduct
a proper pre-departure check that
includes checking the latch handles on
both doors and verifying the
instrument panel doesn’t have any
abnormal annunciator lights
illuminated.
Duane Swing has been building
Velocities since 1986. He and his son,
Scott, have co-owned Velocity, Inc.
since 1992.
A micro-switch can tell the pilot
when the door is not latched, but
it only works if the pilot is paying
attention!
8
Velocity Events
Fly-Ins: Spring 2015
by Stephen Lewis
Now that spring has
finally arrived, the
Velocity community has
wasted no time organizing
Canardian fly-ins and piloting their
Velos to GA gatherings around the
country. Below is an overview of some
of the events VOBA members have
organized and/or
attended this spring. If you know of
an upcoming gathering targeted at the
canard or homebuilt community, please
send details to
[email protected] so
we can help spread the
word.
EAA Argentina
Chapter 722’s 34th
Annual Flight
Convention and
Airshow
As it has done in years past,
EAA Argentina Chapter 722
once again pulled out all the
stops with its phenomenal
34th Annual Flight Convention
and Airshow at the General
Rodriguez/EAA Airport (GEZ) in
Buenos Aires. The March 14-15 event,
which billed itself as “El mejor show
acrobático [The best acrobatic show],”
rightly lived up to its claim with an
assortment of adrenalineinducing aerobatic
performances from a
variety of eye-catching
aircraft.
Besides the overhead excitement,
attendees enjoyed an extensive static
display that
included vintage
aircraft, military
planes,
rotorcraft,
ultralights,
experimentals,
conventional
certified
airplanes, and
much more.
VOBA
member
Alec Rhodius and
his crew from Velocity Sudamérica
were on hand with a few of Sebastian’s
finest, and even treated the crowd to
some dazzling aerial
entertainment – including a closeformation flight between N222TZ
(their XL-RG) and LV-X383, an
Argentine-registered Long-EZ.
While words will never be able to do
the gathering (or its stars) justice,
numerous sensational photos are
available on the BAiresFlight Facebook
Page, Velocity Sudamérica’s Facebook
Page, and EAA Argentina Chapter
722’s Facebook Page. EAA Argentina
has also developed a thrilling video
that showcases all the aeronautical
excitement. How could they possibly
top this year’s event? We’ll just have to
wait until the 35th Annual show to see.
I for one am betting attendees are in
for an incredible treat.
9
EAA Chapter
48’s Funday
Sunday
Ohio-based Canardians
Brett & Elizabeth
Ferrell took advantage
of the fine flying
weather on Sunday, May
3 to partake in the EAA
Chapter 48 Funday
Sunday Fly-In at Moraine
Airpark (I73) in Moraine
(Dayton), Ohio. The familyfriendly annual event is usually held on
the first Sunday in May and features
camping, discounted fuel, and loads of
enjoyable aviation activities. This
year’s breakfast menu featured
pancakes, sausage, and coffee while
lunch consisted of hamburgers, hot
dogs, and scrumptious side dishes.
Unlike most spring fly-ins, the first 50
aircraft to arrive at Funday Sunday
were awarded stunning
commemorative plaques. That little
incentive – plus the combination of
picture-perfect Wx, great eats, and
flight-based fellowship worked like a
charm, as Brett notes the event
enjoyed, “…a simply huge turnout…so
much so they sold out of pancakes.”
The Ferrells also recorded a threecamera video of the short hop to I73,
and the amount of radio chatter would
have you believe the uncontrolled field
is a Class Bravo aerodrome. If the
photos (available on EAA 48’s
Facebook page) are any indication,
this is one GA gathering you’ll want to
be sure to attend in 2016.
2015 Cincinnati
Canard Fly-In
Despite less-thanideal Wx
conditions, a
handful of
Canardians turned
out at Hamilton,
Ohio’s Butler
County Regional
Airport/Hogan
Field (KHAO)
on May 16 for
the annual
Cincinnati
Canard FlyIn. Event
organizers
Chuck Less (a
Velocity SE-FG pilot)
and Ray Parker (a
DragonFly and
VariEze
owner/aviator) and
their planes were
joined by three
visiting Velocities and
a small group of
auto-arriving
attendees for food,
fellowship, and flightrelated festivities.
Although uncooperative
atmospheric conditions
dampened expected attendance
somewhat, those present
appeared to enjoy the canardbased camaraderie. VOBA
member Brett Ferrell has
posted a YouTube video of arriving
and departing aircraft, as well as
several photos of the gathering. Here’s
hoping next year’s event is blessed
with CAVU conditions and a
corresponding record turnout!
10
Upcoming Events:
Midwest Velocity/Canard
Fly-In & Drive-In
Heartland-based experimental
enthusiasts won’t want to miss the
Midwest Velocity/Canard Fly-In &
Drive-In scheduled for Saturday, May
30, 10am – ?? at the Morris Municipal
Airport (C09), Hangar 62 in Morris,
Illinois. Per VOBA member & XL-FG
owner/pilot Ron Needham, the
previous gathering saw 10 canards on
the airport at the same time. Ron also
states that food & drink will be
provided, and 100LL will be available
for $4.50 per gallon (compared to
$5.75/gallon last year). For more
details or to RSVP, contact Ron at
[email protected].
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
2015
If you can make it to only one aviation
event this year, EAA AirVenture 2015
is the fly-in to attend. This year’s
festivities will take place from July 2026 at – as always – Wittman Regional
Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The crown jewel of aviation
gatherings, Oshkosh is the undisputed
leader when it comes to pulsepounding aerobatic excitement,
informative seminars, appearances by
aviation celebrities, and the latest
cutting-edge product debuts from
manufacturers around the globe. It’s
also the place you’ll encounter the
highest number of Velocities and
Canardians, as the annual VOBA
cookout will once again be held during
this year’s show (details to follow).
To whet your aviation appetite (as if
you needed any help), EAA recently
released an exhilarating video of the
sights & sounds you can expect at
AirVenture 2015. Join VOBA at OSH
’15 and help us celebrate the splendor
of experimental aviation – Velocity
style!
Velocity Owners and Builders Association (“VOBA”) is strongly committed to the safe
operation of Velocity aircraft. We present information via our website, newsletter
and other media without representation or warranty as to the suitability or
appropriateness of any opinion, recommendation, or suggestion contained therein.
The opinions or advice contained within our website are not necessarily shared as
correct by VOBA, and any articles, files, or data presented by members have not been
reviewed by VOBA or any other authority for their accuracy or correctness. Reliance
on any information in this newsletter or on the VOBA web site is done at the user’s
own risk. Information is offered solely to promote discussion among, and for the
entertainment of our members.
All photos, videos, and text submitted to VOBA for display anywhere on our website
or in any VOBA publications shall be deemed licensed to VOBA by the submitter and
in so doing the submitter is giving all rights to VOBA to reprint as VOBA deems
appropriate.
VOBA, VelocityOwners.com, and this newsletter are NOT formally associated with
Velocity Aircraft Inc. Velocity airplanes are experimental in nature and are not
inspected and/or regulated by the FAA or other equivalent governmental regulating
bodies around the world in the same way as certified aircraft. As a subscriber to this
newsletter you expressly acknowledge the above.
Disclaimer and Release: The authors, contributors, owners, editors, and content
providers believe that the information presented here is generally accurate, but it is
provided without any warranty. The information is presented for your consideration
only, should not be relied upon, and should be used only to augment information
obtained from other sources more official, reliable, or credible. If some of this
information conflicts with that obtained from authoritative sources, ignore this
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agree to release everyone involved from any liability.
VOBA ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR
DIRECT DAMAGE OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING INJURY TO PERSONS OR DAMAGE
TO PROPERTY. THE READER OF THIS NEWSLETTER AGREES TO INDEMNIFY,
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USE OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY VOBA TO YOU OR ANY OTHER
PERSON YOU GRANT ACCESS TO THE NEWSLETTER.
One of the unique
items on a Velocity is
its trim motor. Due to the
design characteristics
inherent to a canard, it has a fulltrimming elevator, so there are
significant aerodynamic forces we
must overcome. That translates into
the need for a trim motor with a
higher max load than is necessary on
most conventional airplanes.
I started looking into this trim issue
soon after taking on my building
project. I, as many others have surely
done, began dreaming right away of
the required (and desired) “office
tools” to put into my always-visible
instrument panel. As a frequent flyer,
one requirement stood out for me: I
had to have an autopilot – one with
autotrim. Yes, top choice! However,
reality quickly set in, and I soon ran
into problems when it came to the
available options and the capabilities
of said units. It became apparent that
the servo motors on these autopilots
would be able to power the elevators,
though the autotrim capability was
often restricted to a 1-amp load; our
trim motor pulls more than that.
I also wanted to add a Vertical Power
VP-X
11
The Best of Our Builders
The Velocity Trim Motor
By Patrick Sieders
to my bird. As with the autopilots, this
unit’s limitation on pitch trim motor
output is a maximum of 1 amp. If I
wanted to use our non- standard Velo
trim motor, I would have to:
1. Reduce the max load, or:
2. Replace it with a different, less
load-demanding motor, or:
3. Redesign the elevator into one
with a trim tab, or:
4. Reinvent the electric circuit that
commands the trim motor
I gave all four Rs careful consideration
over the span of a year. Some
alternatives looked easier than others;
some didn't seem easy at all. I
conducted plenty of online research,
pored over my old A&P books, and
checked ideas on several forums. I
soon discovered that only one of the
four options would be fairly easy to
accomplish.
thing about this solution is that we
could design it to work with either a
mechanical or solid-state option. So
far, I have opted for a mechanical auto
relay in lieu of the transistor
alternative. Both methods should
work fine; it all depends on where the
electric power comes from.
Let me explain. A mechanical device,
such as a relay, has two separate
circuits: One to steer the connected
component(s), and one (often higher
Reinventing the Circuit
I eventually concluded that this
was an electric problem and
needed to be solved by zeroing
in on the electrical issues. I had
also worked with electricity
enough to know that we
could handle this.
I began searching
for an off-theshelf solution
and quickly
found one, as
shown in the
schematic.
Vertical Power requires pitch-trim
The great
motors to draw no more than 1 amp.
This trim
motor needs
more amps
than most
avionics can
provide via
their pitchtrim
connections
12
Figure 1. Pitch trim wiring
power) that is
(dis-)connected. In a transistor, we
have the same (two) circuits, but in
this case they are interconnected. The
steering circuit comes together with
the power circuit in the end, so –
electrically speaking – they are not
separate.
As I read the manual for the VP-X
power distribution, it became clear
that connecting power out of the VP-X
with a circumventing power source
would be a no-no. Additionally, it was
not quite clear if I would be able to
power the trim motor from one of the
many VP-X outputs without creating
an internal fault, which could lead to a
major electrical system failure. At that
point, I
decided to stick with the
mechanical relay – at least for the time
being. I do have some power
transistors in a box, but have not made
a test setup like I did with the relay.
To imagine how this works:
A quick overview of the circuit shows
input from the trim switches (or the
VP-X; connect both trim input wires to
the trim motor output) to the relay
side and then to ground. The power
side of the relay connects to a power
source (which can be completely
separate) that is capable of producing
more than the standard 1 amp. I chose
5 amps, which seems to be more than
enough, though the relay can handle
up to 10 amps. The output connects to
the trim motor and then to ground.
The problem: This only makes the
system work in one direction. In order
to switch the direction of the motor,
we need to change the electrical
course as well, which requires using
one more relay. To prevent both relays
from opening at the same time, we
use diodes to restrict the relays to
opening in a single direction. This way,
power does not flow back and create
problems.
I was able to assemble the wiring
setup rather quickly, connect our trim
motor to a 10-amp power unit, and
test the system. It worked flawlessly. I
made a YouTube video of the
assembly, so please feel free to check
it out. I even clamped the trim motor
to the bench and let it move heavy
13
boxes across the table to test
it under load. As expected, no
issues arose.
The only caveat is that the
mechanical relays have an
inherently slow reaction time. I
could see that the trim might
overshoot the required/desired
position somewhat, but since our
transaxle trim motor stops quickly,
I do not expect any overshoot to be
significant. You could add another
wire to the schematic to ensure the
motor stops more quickly, but I don’t
believe that is necessary for our setup.
I haven’t yet installed the system in my
Velocity, although I am getting close.
However, since the components were
all tested together on a test bench
under similar conditions – and recently
on the canard with the elevators
connected – I am confident this is a
viable solution for our power-hungry
trim motor. It enables the unit to
interface with low-output (≤1 amp)
electrical power boxes (like the VP-X)
and autopilots while still providing the
autotrim output necessary to offset
the aerodynamic forces acting on our
canard and elevator.
Figure 2 Seat Heat and Pitch Trim Relays
For my YouTube video, please visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v
2_trdgVuRs
Patrick Sieders is a Part 121 captain for
Airtran/Southwest Airlines. He is
currently building a 260HP Lycoming
540-powered XL-5 FG in Nashville, TN.
Follow his construction process online
at
http://siedersvelocity.wordpress.com
See it work on YouTube!
14
Upgrading the Door Latches
by Don Johnston
The Factory-supplied
door handles that
came with my XL-RG kit
are fully functional. They
work, do not create excessive
wind resistance, and look okay.
However, they could stand to be a bit
more… aesthetic. One of my building
up making improvements to
their internal operation as
well.
With this goal of improving
the exterior appearance of
the handles, I bought a pair of
door latches from Hendricks
Manufacturing. At the time I
purchased them, there was only
one style of handle. They now
offer a couple of different designs.
The other (newer) versions have
different inside handles – which
might work on a Velocity with
no modifications – but given
the inside door trim, I can’t say
for certain.
Like so many things with building
an airplane, what begins as a
simple task soon turns into a much
larger undertaking. For this
project, that “feature creep” began
when I took a good look at how
The Factory-supplied door handle
actually works.
First, let’s review The Factory
door handle.
goals has been to
improve the outside appearance of the
door handles. In doing so, I also ended
and Upper/Rear) are rigidly attached
to long Door Pin Shafts, which in turn
connect to the Cam Plate with
clevis
This photo depicts the inside of
the door handle assembly in
the “Latched” position. The
over-center mechanism
applies spring tension in the
“Latched” and “Unlatched” positions
by means of a spring-loaded shaft that
pivots at the stud and attaches to a
lobe on the cam plate. Three of the
door pins (Lower/Front, Lower/Rear,
pins. The
Upper/Front pin is
different in that it connects to the cam
with a floating intermediate link.
The over-center mechanism is
necessary because where the door pin
shafts attach to the cam, they do not
go over-center. This means that if a
door pin were to be somehow pushed
back from the “Latched” position, it
would rotate the cam, retracting all
four door pins. Because of this
possibility, the additional over-center
mechanism is necessary to provide a
positive latch, thus preventing the
handle from moving on its own. Yes,
we have a safety interlock, but an
over-center mechanism is still a very
good idea.
A common complaint about Velocity
doors is latching them in the “Closed”
position; specifically, the force
required to rotate the latch handle.
One of the reasons for this is due to
binding in the pin travel. Here’s what
happens: When the handle is moved,
the cam plate rotates. In addition to
moving the pins linearly – or “in and
out” (required) – they also move
laterally (i.e. “up and down”) relative
to the sleeves that guide them. This
lateral motion causes the pins and pin
shafts to bind in the sleeves. To use an
engine analogy: The pin is like a
piston, the sleeves in the door and
fuselage frame are the cylinders, and
the cam plate is the crankshaft.
Pistons are not directly connected to
the crankshaft; there is an
intermediate link called the
connecting rod – which is exactly
what’s needed to solve the door
handle binding problem. Now is as
good a time as any to address both the
binding and aesthetic issues.
Removing the Old Latch
and the Sleeves
First, the old door latch needs to be
removed.
1. Remove the cotter pins in the
clevis pins that hold the existing
three pin shafts and the
Upper/Front intermediate link to
the cam and set them aside for
later.
2. Remove the shafts, pins, and
intermediate link and set them
aside.
3. Remove the E-clip from the overcenter linkage.
4. Remove the screw holding the
handle shaft to the cam.
5. Remove the exterior handle and
cam/inside handle.
6. Remove over-center linkage
mechanism.
The door latch will now look
something like this:
7.
Drill out the rivets holding the
baseplate to the door skin.
15
Using a heat gun, warm the
baseplate to soften the structural
adhesive and pry out the latch
with a putty knife. Be careful if
your window is installed; you
don’t want to damage it with heat
from the gun.
Now, your door will look
something like this 
You will need to slightly reposition
three of the sleeves in the door
and door frame. Although you
could leave them where they are,
doing so would reduce the
amount of throw in the pins and
could prevent the pins from
going over-center. Also, the
Upper/Front pin should
definitely be moved, so just
accept that in order to do it
right, you’ll have to adjust
the sleeves. I removed mine
by inserting a soldering iron
into each sleeve and waiting
for the sleeve to heat up
enough to allow me to grab it
with a pair of vise grips and
slide it out. This method only
takes a couple minutes per
sleeve once the iron is nice and
hot.
Positioning & Installing
the New Hendricks Latch
Next, you need to determine the
position for the new door latch.
Factors to consider:
 Because of the safety interlock,
there’s no need for the lock on the
passenger side (since that door can’t
be unlatched from the outside
anyway), so you can eliminate that
lock
entirely and fill the passenger door
hole if you want to.
 The lock cylinder bezel is tapered.
You could probably make you own
lock cylinder bezel that would look
better than the stock bezel.
To position the baseplate, I drew a
level line on the inside of the door
slightly below (about .10”) the existing
handle hole.
16
Next up, I placed the template on
the inner door skin and marked
the opening for the latch
baseplate.
I prefer to put masking tape
along the lines, as this makes
it easier to see where you
need to cut.
Put the latch in position and move the
handle through its full range of
motion, marking where the cam and
screws hit the inner skin. Do the same
with the lock, then remove the inner
skin and foam as needed.
The result will look something like this:
Open
Cut along the lines of the
inner door skin only! Do not
cut through the outer skin!
Remove the inner door skin
and carefully remove the
foam down to the inside of
the outer skin.
You can now put the
template in place and
mark where you’ll be
cutting through the
outside skin.
I used a drill to create the
holes for the forward and rear
parts of the handle opening.
Opt for a slightly smaller size
drill, then use a burp saw to
cut the straight lines between
the two holes to create the
rest of the opening. You can
then use Permagrit files and
carbide burrs to sneak up on
the final opening size.
Once the handle
fits, you’ll need to
make some
clearance cuts.
The handle
mechanism and
lock will hit the
inner skin when
you try to unlock
the latch or
rotate the handle.
Closed
From the outside, it should look really
nice.
Tip: Verify the handle and lock
are level on the outside.
Dry fit the assembly in place. If
your plane is already painted, it
should be flush with the outside.
If you haven’t primed or painted
your airplane yet, make sure it sits
a little proud (higher) than the
outside skin (you’ll want it to be
flush with the external surface
after painting). Create some
small spacers to get the
outside to the correct
elevation.
Now is a good time to
disassemble the latch. The
handle comes apart with three
hex head screws. Remove the two
outer screws first to remove the
inside handle. Be VERY careful
when removing the center screw to
further dismantle the handle.
Underneath the driver plate hub (the
large part with the two lobes that
the inside latch attaches to) is a
spring-loaded ball bearing that
detents the handle in the “Open”
and “Closed” positions. As the
hub comes off, the ball bearing
will no longer be captive, and once
it sees the light of day, it WILL
make a break for freedom. I did
the disassembly on a flat surface
with a moving blanket on top. Ball
bearings can’t run very fast on a
moving blanket, so I had a better
chance of intercepting its escape.
Once the handle is apart, store the
parts until later.
To permanently install the latch, I
covered the outside (exposed)
surface with masking tape. Sand
the outer part of the baseplate
17
(that is not exposed) and the inner
door skin. Mix up some structural
adhesive with some Cab-O-Sil and
apply it to the sanded part of the
baseplate and to the inner skin. Next,
carefully slide the baseplate into
position. Once this was done, I
created a fillet on the inside edge.
I used a small block of wood with a
bolt to hold the baseplate in position
while the structural adhesive cured.
Aligning the Door Pins &
Pin Shafts
Next comes the pin alignment. First,
you’ll need to relocate the
Upper/Front door pin. Create a level
line across the door that intersects
the pivot of the handle. Draw this
line across the forward doorframe.
From that line, mark a spot on the
center of the forward door frame
about 1.25” above the level line.
Place a straight edge between the
spot on the forward doorframe
that you just marked and the
pivot for the cam plate. Mark a line
on the doorframe. That line is
where the sleeve will pass through
the frame. You can also mark the pin
shaft lines for the remaining three
locations using the same process
(use the pivot of the handle as with
the previous step). For the pin
sleeve openings on the doorframe,
ballpark the middle of the opening;
it will have to be enlarged later.
Note: If you have to (or will need to)
remove the door skin to open the
strake extension, make sure the line
for the Lower/Rear pin shaft is clear
of that opening. If it isn’t, you will
need to relocate the Lower/Rear pin
forward an inch or so to clear the
opening. Another option is to create a
dogleg intermediate link (this will be
shown later).
Draw an
arc with a 9” radius from the
door handle pivot that intersects the
three pin shaft lines. You don’t need to
mark the line for the Upper/Front pin.
Drill a ½” hole through the doorframe
using the line you just marked for the
Upper/Front sleeve. Use the hole for
the old sleeve as a guide for distance
from the inner door skin.
The next step is to install the sleeves
for the pins and pin shafts. From the
7/16” tubing, cut six 1¼” long pieces.
These will be the intermediate pin
shaft supports for both doors. You can
reuse the sleeves you previously
removed from the doorframe, or you
can cut new sleeves at this time.
Getting the two sleeves perfectly
aligned will go a long way toward
having a smoothly operating door
latch. To this end, take one of the T3
aluminum rods and insert it into the
opening at the door frame (where the
sleeve will eventually go), sliding it in
until the end is just short of the door
handle pivot. Mark the rod where it
enters and exits the doorframe, at the
9” arc you drew on the door, and 1¼”
18
outside of the arc. Repeat this step
(with a rod) for the two other pin
shafts, but not the Upper/Front pin.
Since the Upper/Front sleeve is so
close to the latch, there is no
intermediate support.
Wrap thin tape around the rod
where you marked it in the
previous step and slide the 1¼”
sleeves over the tape. If the
sleeves are loose, slide them out
of the way and wrap another layer
around the shaft. Repeat until the
sleeves fit snugly on the shaft. You
may have to experiment with
different types of tape – there isn’t
much clearance to begin with. I found
that two wraps with Scotch tape is
about right. Now, take the rod (with
the sleeves on) and try to put it in
position. You probably won’t be able
to, as the holes in the doorframe will
not be at the proper angle. Use a
Permagrit file or small carbide burr to
enlarge these holes (do this for all
three rods). Once all three rods are in
place, cut small pieces of foam into a
1¼” x 1¼” x 1" square. Place the foam
block under the intermediate sleeve at
the arc line on the door and create a
groove for the sleeve. Deepen the
groove until the center of the rod end
at the door handle is about .7” above
the baseplate. Once that dimension is
reached, shape the foam to have a
slope from the sleeve to the 1¼”
width. Do this for the remaining pin
shaft sleeves.
Sand the outside of the sleeves and
the inner door skin where the
intermediate supports attach. For the
doorframe sleeves, you can shape one
end of the sleeve so it is flush with the
outside frame. The challenge with this
approach is getting it perfectly aligned
during installation. I found it easier to
leave part of the sleeve extending out
of the doorframe and then
grinding/filing/sanding it flush later.
Apply a release agent to the rods
where the sleeves will be and extend
the coverage a few inches beyond the
sleeves. Vaseline works well. Insert the
rods (with sleeves) into position. Mix
epoxy and Cab-O-Sil to make a thick
paste and inject the mix into the
doorframe around the sleeve. I used a
large-gauge syringe and moved the
rod/sleeve assembly around to get
good coverage. Once the door sleeve
is done, apply a small amount of the
paste to the intermediate support
(where the foam block attaches to the
door skin) and between the sleeve and
the foam block. Verify that the center
of the rod is still .7” above the door
handle baseplate. Repeat this for the
two remaining pin shafts.
Using the same process as above,
install the Upper/Front sleeve into the
doorframe, ensuring the center of the
rod is .7” above the baseplate. There is
a good chance that the hole for the
Upper/Front sleeve will be in an area of
the frame that’s hollow and lacks
reinforcement. If so, I found expanding
foam (Great Stuff at Home Depot)
works well for blocking off the inside
of the frame. You can then reopen the
hole and enlarge it so the epoxy will be
able to bond with the inside of the
frame.
Apply micro over the foam supports
followed by two BID layups over the
intermediate sleeves and foam
supports. Alternatively, you can
carefully remove the rods and then do
the layups. If you remove the rods
before applying the BID layups over
the intermediate sleeves, be careful
that you don’t rip the sleeves from the
foam supports. Then apply the 2x BID
over the supports and intermediate
sleeve.
Installing the Door Sleeves
Once the door sleeves are complete,
you can install them in the fuselage. If
your door hasn’t gone through the
final alignment fitting, you will need to
do this step later.
First, locate the new location for the
Upper/Front sleeve and drill a hole in
the fuselage doorframe. You may also
need to enlarge the hole in the
fuselage doorframe for the
Upper/Rear sleeve. Both lower sleeves
fit on the inside face of the door
opening, so those will be rather easy.
As on the doorframe, you may find
that the hole for the Upper/Front
sleeve is in an area of the frame that’s
hollow and lacks reinforcement. If so,
use expanding foam like you did on
the doorframe.
Using the same rods you used to
position the doorframe and
intermediate sleeves, apply new tape
for the intermediate and door sleeves.
This time, however, allow the rod to
extend past the doorframe into the
fuselage (where the fuselage frame
sleeves will be). Also, affix tape at the
end of the rod for those sleeves. Apply
a release agent to the end of the rod
where it goes into the fuselage sleeve.
Sand the fuselage sleeves and the area
where the sleeves will attach to the
fuselage. Close the door and secure it
so it’s flush with the surrounding
fuselage (duct tape around the outside
19
works well). From the inside, slide the
rods out and into the fuselage sleeves.
Once the sleeves are in position, use
the epoxy/Cab-O-Sil mix to bond them
in place. The upper sleeves will require
the same method for injecting epoxy
around the sleeves. The lower sleeves
can have the blend applied around
them. Use duct tape to hold the lower
sleeves in place while curing.
Once the epoxy has cured, you can
remove the rods and open the door. At
this point, you’ll have three sleeves on
three of the pin shafts – all precisely
aligned. Remove the tape from the
rods and verify they slide into position
with the door closed.
Mechanical Connections &
the Cam Adapter Plate
Next up, it’s time for the
mechanical connections.
Remove the door, since
doing this with the door
installed will be very
difficult.
The door latch was originally
designed for an RV, which
only has two pins (hence the
two lobes on the cam plate).
However, our Velocities
have four pins, so I made a “Cam
Adapter Plate” out of ⅛”
aluminum.
This Cam Adapter Plate
fastens to the cam plate at
the two lobes (which are used
for the Upper/Front and
Upper/Aft pins) and creates
space for the lower two door
pin shafts to attach. Test fit the
cam by mounting it to the door
latch cam (with the two screws
that are used to secure the inside
handle). Unless you’re fortunate
enough to have a milling machine,
plan on spending some quality time
with your file.
Do not drill the holes for the two lower
pins! The actual position of those holes
may vary (depending on your door)
and will be addressed later.
While looking through the Hendricks
Manufacturing site to verify the part
numbers for the door latches, I
discovered that Lyle Hendricks now
offers a “Cam Link Adapter Plate (P/N
2001-02)” for $37.50. If you’re not
comfortable cutting your own, just buy
one. 
You will also need six intermediate
links, which are also made from ⅛”
aluminum and are 0.50” wide.
6.5” intermediate link.
Reassemble
the door handle and install the Cam
Adapter Plate (you can leave the inside
handle off for now).
Door handle with adapter plate
installed.
20
identify which adapter plate is for
which door (and which direction is
forward), as they will not necessarily
work in the wrong door if reversed.
The reason for drilling the holes aft
of the alignment mark is to create
an over-center geometry. As the
door handle is rotated to the
“Latched” position, the door pins
will extend into the fuselage sleeves.
When the handle nears the
“Latched” position, the pins will be
at their fullest extension. Then, as
the handle reaches the “Latched”
position, the pins will retract slightly.
This way, if the pins are pushed back
(through vibration or flexing of the
fuselage), they will press the handle
against the “Closed” position stop,
preventing the pins from retracting.
Without the over-center geometry,
the pins could potentially unlatch the
handle if they were pushed back.
Remove the Cam Adapter Plate and
drill two 3/16” holes in the plate
where you marked it.
From the Cam Adapter Plate, install
an intermediate link to the rear
cam position using the screws that
came with the door latch. The
Cam Adapter Plate and
intermediate link will just fit
between the two
Using the lines you
made on the inner door skin (for
the pins), extend the lines and
mark where they would be on
the Cam Adapter Plate. Then,
mark the Cam Adapter Plate for
the lower two holes,
approximately ¼” aft of the
lines. It’s important that you
tabs that make up the rear lobe of the
cam. Use another screw to secure the
front of the cam to the Cam Adapter
Plate. Eventually, the forward
intermediate link will go here, but for
now, just put the Cam Adapter Plate
between the two tabs of the forward
lobe. The two intermediate links
attach to the lower holes on the cam
adapter plate with clevis pins.
Take The Factory-supplied pins & pin
shafts and verify the pin shafts are
straight. If any are bent, you can try to
straighten them – or just make new
ones. This is much easier to do if you
have a lathe, since drilling holes in the
end of the rod is almost impossible to
do freehand.
Insert the pins (with pin shafts) into
the door. Rotate the handle to the
“Unlatched” position. Slide one of the
pins in so that it protrudes slightly
from the doorframe sleeve.
Note: With the door installed, you can
measure the clearance between the
doorframe and the door opening at
the four pin locations. Then, when you
are determining the length of the pin
shafts, they can be as long as possible.
The farther they extend into the
fuselage sleeves, the more secure the
door will be.
Take the intermediate link for that pin
and swing it so it’s directly over the
pin shaft for that link. Mark the pin
shaft at the hole at the end of the link.
Repeat for the remaining two pin
shafts, then remove the shafts. At this
point, you can cut the shafts ¼" longer
than the mark. File the ends of the
shaft as shown in the drawing and drill
for the clevis pin.
Custom Intermediate Link
for the Upper/Front Pin
The last step is to create the custom
intermediate link for the Upper/Front
21
Spring Loading
the OverCenter
Mechanism
To create an overcenter spring,
place the door
handle in the
“Latched”
position and
mark the
pin. Begin by rotating the handle to
the “Unlatched” position. Insert the
Upper/Front door pin so it protrudes
slightly from the
doorframe sleeve. Next,
measure the distance
from the hole in the pin
to the forward hole in
the door latch cam.
Then cut a piece of ½"
x ⅛” aluminum to be
½” longer than the
dimension you
measured. Drill
holes in the end
and install with a clevis
and cotter pin to the Upper/Front
pin. Remove the screw from the
forward cam lobe, insert the
intermediate link, and replace the
screw.
Install the door and test the latching.
You may find that the intermediate
links bind at the cam or Cam Adapter
Plate because they are not aligned. If
this is the case, remove and bend the
intermediate links so they align (or are
on the same plane) with the cam.
Make the bend about 1½” from the
end that attaches to the cam.
Lower/Forward
pin shaft where
it enters the
doorframe sleeve. Drill a
hole
through the pin
shaft (about 3” up
from the mark) with a
drill bit that will
allow a cotter pin to
fit through.
Disconnect the pin
shaft from the
intermediate link.
Slide the pin shaft
down past the
intermediate
support and
place a 5/16" washer, a
5/16” ID x 4” long compression spring,
and another 5/16” washer onto the pin
shaft. Slide the shaft back up through
the support and reconnect it to the
intermediate link.
Unlatch the
door handle and compress the spring
with the washer (you can use vise grips
to hold the spring in compression)
while inserting a cotter pin through
the hole you drilled in the pin shaft.
The over-center mechanism is now
spring loaded. You can experiment
with compressing the spring further,
using a stronger spring or putting
springs on the other two pin shafts.
22
intermediate link. The dimension (6”)
will be the same, it will just have a
custom bend in it.
Take the existing
link and mark
the bottom
(of the link)
where it
would
interfere
with the
opening
when
the
door
latch is
“Open,” and then
mark the top of the link when the
door latch is “Closed.” Then, cut with a
dogleg that will allow it to clear the
opening.
Note: This technique only works if you
need 1” of clearance or less. If you
require any more than that, you’ll need
to move the pin, as the intermediate
link won’t be strong enough with more
than a 1” bend.
Adding a “Dogleg”
Intermediate Link for the
Lower/Rear Pin
If you discover that the intermediate
link for the Lower/Rear pin is
interfering with the strake extension
opening, you can relocate that pin
forward. If you don’t want to move the
pin, you can simply create a “dogleg”
VOBA member Don Johnston of Lynn
Haven, Florida, is currently building a
Continental 550-powered XL-RG. For
more on his construction process and
builder tips, visit
http://www.velocity-xl.com/blog/.
Parts List
 Door Latch: Hendricks
Manufacturing P/N 0501420. Available direct or
through Aircraft Spruce
(cheaper if you go directly
through Lyle Hendricks).
 Cam Link Adapter Plate:
(optional) Hendricks
Manufacturing P/N 2001-02
 Pin Sleeve material: 2
feet of 7/16″ x .049″ steel
tubing (AS PN 03-01800-2).
 Pin Shaft material: Four
pieces of 2’ x 5/16″ T3
aluminum rods
(AS PN 03-41600-2).
 Intermediate Link
material: 2 feet of ⅛” x 1½” aluminum stock (AS PN
03-42800).
Note: If you won’t be
purchasing the Cam Link
Adapter Plates from
Hendricks, you will need
to make your own from ⅛”
stock. You can buy a
1’x1’x⅛” sheet that can
also be used to make the
intermediate links (AS PN
03-00035).
Here is what the Velocity
community was talking
about two decades ago.
Volume 2, 2nd Quarter 1995
 The New Velocity Elite: In Factory
News, Duane reports that Velocity,
Inc. has been working at a feverish
pace in order to complete the new 173
Elite RG prototype in time for its
scheduled public debut at the
upcoming SUN ‘n FUN gathering.
Scott S. states the engine has been
mounted, the instrument panel is done
(with wiring in progress), and most of
the finish work is complete. The plane
has also undergone load testing and
has tested successfully to twice the
loads the aircraft would ever see.
Among its attributes, the V173E-RG
would feature lightweight, pre-molded
gull-wing doors that would reduce
both weight and builder time while
also facilitating easier entry & exit.
Additionally, The Factory was also
working on an offset elevator for the
V-173E, which offsets the elevator
torque tube so as to eliminate the
need for an arced hole in the fuselage
– and the corresponding rain and wind
leaks. Velocity Views editor Rick Lavoie
includes numerous captioned photos
of the Elite RG in progress.
 Franklin Engine Project: Due to
the demands of the Elite project and
the time constraints resulting from the
impending SUN ‘n FUN festival,
Velocity Aircraft had temporarily put
its Franklin engine project on hold.
Work on the Franklin would resume
once the 173E was up and running.
 Overhauling the Velo Logo: On
page 6, Bonnie explains that Velocity,
23
Velocity Views
Twenty Years Ago
by Stephen Lewis
Inc. has decided to develop a new
official logo that will become the
standard for anything & everything
related to Velocity Aircraft. In the past,
The Factory used multiple logos,
which had led to confusion within the
community. Bonnie reports that Judy
Lavoie is in the process of developing a
variety of templates for the new logo
that can be
used for
airbrushing and as vinyl stick-on
decals. That same logo remains the
trademark Velocity symbol to this day.
 Kit Plans Changes (KPCs): This
issue of the Views contains numerous
Kit Plans Changes (KPCs) that reflect
the latest suggestions & practices in
use by The Factory.
 Advice from The Answer Man: In
Ask Scott, Scott Swing lives up to his
reputation as the world’s foremost
expert on Velocity airplanes. Over the
course of three pages, The Answer
Man fields community questions
covering a range of builder topics.
Among his advice, Scott provides
suggestions regarding lightning
resistance measures; priming &
24
was awaiting testing/completion of its
custom-built engine, a turbo diesel
design. In the spirit of experimental
aviation, the project’s team even
turned down a FREE powerplant from
TCM because they felt “proven
technology from the ‘50s was not
within the focus of our intentions” and
because they wanted “an engine as
noteworthy as the aircraft itself.”
The engine was designed to burn
Jet-A because . . . Dick Rutan,
informed him that 100LL avgas
would soon be unavailable.
finishing, filling & painting, and
instrument panel designs/installation;
bending and torsional loads on the
new Elite; resin and epoxy mixing &
measurements (both weight ratio and
volume ratio); and more. He also
explains the differences between
Geminid, Alphapoxy, Safe T Poxy, and
Epolite; as well as the nuances
between milled fiber, microglass, and
microballoon – and why certain terms
were selected for use in the Builders’
Manual. A fantastic collection of sage
advice that even experienced builders
are bound to find enlightening.
 Update on N211JP: American
Airlines (AA) pilot Captain JP Brooks
shares the latest on N211JP, the Velo
in which he will pursue 20 world
records in two weight categories;
including attempts at altitude, closedcircuit, and straight-line records. As of
this writing, -1JP had been complete
for about six months (the project had
been ongoing for nearly five years) and
The prospective powerplant,
tentatively dubbed the “Universal
Tech Aerodiesel,” was designed by
engine specialist Kevin Sweeney and
[the project’s] Chief Systems Engineer
Doug Doers. It was a V-4, two-stroke,
water-cooled diesel that would weigh
187 lbs, produce approximately
200HP, and measure roughly 15” x 19”
x 21”. The engine was designed to
burn Jet-A because – at least in part –
Brooks’ acquaintance, legendary
aviator Dick Rutan, informed him that
100LL avgas would soon be
unavailable. In Factory News, the
Swings report the turbo diesel is
scheduled for a dyno run around
March 10, and they’re hopeful testing
will be complete in time for the engine
to appear at SUN ‘n FUN.
 Builders’ Manuals 2.0: As
mentioned in the inaugural issue of
Velocity Views, the Builders’ Manuals
were in the process of undergoing a
significant overhaul. Besides
developing model-specific manuals for
each of the (at the time) eight Velocity
variants, The Factory was revising the
content to introduce substantial
improvements in organization, quality,
and clarity – many of which were
based on builder input. Unclear
verbiage was being rewritten in a
coherent, through-the-eyes-of-thebuilder style. The new handbooks
would also incorporate all prior
KPCs, include copious drawings, and
consist of 22 chapters sequenced in
the recommended construction
order. On top of all that, Version 2.0
would include a thorough, userfriendly index, and all
drawings/photos/diagrams would
come with captions. Additionally,
the books would feature check-off
boxes to help track completed steps. A
long-overdue, much-appreciated
endeavor that has no doubt benefitted
the entire Velocity community.
 Coming Clean: In an effort to spare
his fellow homebuilders the grief,
embarrassment, time, and expense of
some of his flubs, Velocity Views editor
Rick Lavoie shares a handful of the
mistakes he made while refinishing his
Long-EZ. Of note, Rick includes a
chart that illustrates the effect of paint
color on aircraft surface temperatures
(Hint: Always choose white!).
Among his tips, Lavoie offers advice
on protecting your body (eyes, skin,
and lungs) during the process;
contouring; sanding (including how to
construct a homemade sanding
board); priming (includes tips on using
an HVLP spray gun & compressor);
filling pinholes; and spray painting (he
made TONS of mistakes on this one).
Tip: Never apply your aircraft’s paint
outdoors!!!! An enlightening – and
humorous – read that’s guaranteed to
bring a smile to every Canardian’s
face.
 “New Techniques” Follow Up:
Following up on the info he’d learned
at an Alexander Aeroplane/EAA
composite workshop (as reported in
Velocity Views Volume 1), Rick Lavoie
sent his newly acquired insight to both
the Central States Association (CSA)’s
Terry Schubert and Rutan Aircraft
Factory (RAF)’s Burt Rutan & Mike
Melvill for their two cents’ worth.
RAF’s overall advice/concern:
Modifying time-proven methods could
potentially compromise an aircraft’s
structural integrity. Terry’s take:
Staying true to the plane, manual, and
factory-recommended system is the
way to go. When you deviate from The
Factory’s procedures, you wind up
with something that’s untested and
unproven. Words of wisdom that are
as relevant today as ever.
 Builders Forum – Print Edition:
Years before the VOBA forum came
into being, 20th Century Velocity
builders shared construction tips via a
dedicated section of Velocity Views.
Volume 2’s Builders Forum stretches 6+
pages and is chock-full of helpful
advice and suggestions. Definitely
worth a read is Ricardo Price’s
submission (p. 21) on his cleverly
devised exterior light control
system. Also noteworthy is
Canardian Dave Black’s extensive
list of tips aimed to address
possible typos/errors in the
(original) Builders’ Manual,
improve design, and replace
“standard” construction methods
in use at the time.
25
Virtually every Velo builder/owner can
relate to John Vukos’ personal story
(pp. 17-19) on the unrelenting appeal
of the ever-improving Velocity.
Despite having recently completed a
Long-EZ, John takes the plunge,
purchases an Elite RG, and begins the
homebuilding journey once again. A
common tale that always seems to
have a happy ending.
 Birth of The Reflector: Spring 1995
also saw the Canardian community
beginning to turn to the Internet as a
channel for Velocity-based interaction.
provided they could supply a DMO #
from The Factory. Looking back, it’s
hard to imagine there was once a time
when Canardians had to wait three
months between Velocity Views issues
in order to learn the latest techniques
in use within the community.
 The Great Bahamian Fly-In: Two
decades back, Velo pilots were gearing
up for a May aerial excursion to The
Bahamas. Canardian Tom Chimento
and his wife, Pamela, had graciously
invited Velocity flyers to join them at
their resort in George Town on Great
Modifying time-proven methods
could potentially compromise an
aircraft’s structural integrity.
Dubbed the “Velocity Mail Reflector,”
a new forum was established by
builder Frank Brock as a means to
“trade ideas, tricks, tips, provide moral
support, air out problems with the kit
and manual, provide ideas for material
in the new newsletter, and maybe
even develop a support channel for
The Factory.” At its debut, eight
builders had signed up for The
Reflector (Remember, Windows® 95
wouldn’t even be released for some
months). However, all Velocity
owners/builders were invited to join –
Exuma Island for a week of paradise.
The catch? Piloting an Experimental
aircraft to The Bahamas required the
blessing of the Bahamian
Government, which, as Rick Lavoie
reports, was no small task. Though a
convoluted process, a little
bureaucratic red tape was a small price
to pay for such an adventure.
Want a more in-depth look at the Velocity newsletter of old?
The complete archive of Velocity Views issues is available
online at www.VelocityXL.com (Menu item: Downloads.
Section: Articles.) and on Velocity Aircraft’s website at
www.velocityaircraft.com/velocity-online.html
26
Airworthiness Indicators
Experimental Aircraft
The Benefits of Aging Aircraft
by Stephen Lewis
Happy Birthday,
Velocity!
As many of you are
undoubtedly aware, the
first Velocity airplane,
N401DM, will turn the big 3-0
later this year. While there are several
reasons to celebrate such a milestone,
one of them has to do with the
model’s upcoming status as an
“Antique aircraft.” That’s right! Per the
FAA (as defined in Advisory Circular
45-2D: Identification and Registration
Marking), an “Antique aircraft”
includes “…U.S.-registered aircraft
possessing a special airworthiness
certificate in the experimental category
for the purpose of operating an
amateur-built aircraft with the same
external configuration as an aircraft
built at least 30 years ago.”
Review of Registration
Number Requirements
Nearly all U.S.-based pilots are familiar
with the requirements of §47.15(b),
which spells out the specifics relating
to FAA registration (“N”) numbers.
Most are also aware of §45.23(b),
which requires “When…the registration
number is displayed
on…experimental…aircraft, the
operator must also display on that
aircraft…the
word[s]…’experimental’…as
applicable.” However, when it comes
to “Antique aircraft” – including
antique experimentals – §45.22(b)
allows “…an amateur-built
aircraft…which has the same external
configuration as an aircraft built at least
30 years ago may be operated without
displaying marks in accordance with
§§45.21 and 45.23 through 45.33…”
So what, exactly, does this mean for
owners & operators of the earliest
Velocities? If you pay attention to the
finer points of the Federal Aviation
Regulations (FARs), you’ll find that
Subpart C of 14 CFR Part 45 (further
explained in AC 45-2D) grants a few
exemptions/waivers to antique aircraft
when it comes to displaying their
registration numbers and other
(normally) required exterior markings.
The Spirit of St. Louis: One of the world's
most famous antique experimentals. Photo
by Fritz Geller-Grimm.
Most of you who have ever attended a
worthwhile airshow, fly-in, aviation
museum, or other flight-related
gathering have noticed that vintage
aircraft – specifically those registered
prior to December 31, 1948 – often
bear a second letter immediately
following the “N” in their registration
numbers. This letter, known as an
airworthiness indicator, denotes the
category in which the aircraft is
certified. Examples include “C” for
standard, “X” for experimental, “R” for
restricted, and “L” for limited. Though
the practice of displaying
airworthiness indicators was
abandoned after December 31, 1950,
FAA regulations permit vintage
aircraft – particularly those used for
exhibition – to retain their original
markings. Additionally, the regs allow
“Antique aircraft” – including
experimentals – to display the
appropriate airworthiness indicator in
lieu
of
27
the external markings (i.e.
“Experimental”) required by
§45.23(b).
EXCERPT FROM AC 45-2D 
§45.22(b): The Catch
If you refer to the full, nonparaphrased version of §45.22(b), in
order to qualify for exemption from
§45.23(b), an antique experimental
must:
 Display “…the Roman capital
letter ‘N’ followed by:”
 “The U.S. registration number of the
aircraft;” OR
 “The symbol appropriate to the
airworthiness certificate of the aircraft
(“C”, standard; “R”, restricted; “L”,
limited; or “X”, experimental) followed
by the U.S. registration number of the
aircraft;” AND
 “It displays no other mark that
begins with the letter “N” anywhere
on the aircraft, unless it is the same
mark that is displayed under paragraph
(b)(1) of”… §45.22.
§45.23(a) further stipulates, “Each
suffix letter used in the marks display
must also be a Roman capital letter.”
Additionally, §45.23(b) states, “When
marks include only the Roman capital
letter “N” and the registration number is
displayed on…experimental…aircraft,
the operator must also display…the
word[s]…’experimental’…as
applicable.”
Excerpt from AC 45-2D
Icing on the Cake
Those antique experimental
owners/operators who prefer to take
advantage of the airworthiness
indicator exemption will be pleased to
know it is a relatively simple process.
To begin with, the airworthiness
indicator is not considered part of the
aircraft registration number.
Furthermore, the FAA does not
consider N-numbers to be design
requirements and, therefore, does not
certify them as part of a type design.
For you, this means the letter “X” isn’t
used in any FAA paperwork or
interactions; not in the aircraft
documents, not on flight plans, and
not in ATC communications. It’s
strictly limited to the aircraft’s
exterior.
UTILIZING THE ANTIQUE AIRCRAFT
EXEMPTION IS A FAIRLY SIMPLE PROCESS.
Size Matters Too
Some time ago, a forum thread
focused on the requirement for 12”
aircraft registration markings in order
to fly a U.S.-registered plane to & from
The Bahamas (more on this later).
While it’s true that §45.29(b)1 specifies
12” high letters for fixed-wing aircraft
(excluding a/c displaying smaller
markings prior to November 1, 1981
and aircraft manufactured after
November 2, 1981 but before January
1, 1983), antique aircraft are also
exempt from this 12” requirement
(in most cases). Take another look
at §45.22(b)1 and you’ll see the text
“…displays…marks at least 2 inches
high…” Furthermore, as many of
28
you already know, §45.29(b)1(iii)
permits experimental, non-antique
aircraft to display 3” high marks
provided “…the maximum cruising
speed of the aircraft does not exceed
180 knots CAS*…”
that operation…” Fortunately,
§45.21(d) permits the use of “…readily
removable material…” to comply with
these requirements, so 2” electrical
tape is perfectly fine for weeklong
getaways to the islands.
* Please note that the 3” exception of
§45.29(b)1(iii) specifies “calibrated”
airspeed (CAS), not true airspeed
(TAS) or indicated airspeed (IAS).
Additional Considerations
Take another glance at the abovereferenced wording from AC 45-2D
and §45.22(b). Both documents bear
the
instead of a tailskid, main wheel brakes,
or a modern type propeller.” However,
the document says nothing regarding
different engine types or horsepower
output, alternative wing/airfoil styles &
dimensions, modified/redesigned
entry doors, and the unlimited other
do-it-yourself enhancements
homebuilders have the freedom to
select. Just where does the FAA draw
the line between “minor differences”
and non-minor changes? That
distinction is anybody’s guess, so be
sure to get the blessing of your local
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)
before repainting your 30+-year-old
experimental to take advantage of the
aforementioned exemptions.
Additionally, FAA regulatory changes
are fairly common, so always refer to
the latest regulations to ensure they
still apply to your aircraft.
EXCERPT FROM AC 45-2D
EXCERPT FROM AC 45-2D
Back to The Bahamas
Are you familiar with the adage
“There’s no such thing as a free
lunch.”? In the case of the 12”
markings exemption, the price of
lunch comes into play whenever an
(otherwise) exempt aircraft penetrates
or operates in an ADIZ (Air Defense
Identification Zone) or DEWIZ (Distant
Early Warning Identification Zone), as
spelled out in§45.22(c)1 and §45.29(h).
§45.22(c)2 expands this requirement
to include operations “In a foreign
country unless that country consents to
Like a Fine
text, “…the same
external configuration as an aircraft
built at least 30 years ago…” So, what
exactly constitutes “the same external
configuration?”
Appendix C of AC 45-2D offers some
guidance with its statements, “Minor
differences in configuration due to
modern equipment and components are
acceptable. Examples of such
differences include using a tail wheel
Wine
Although pop culture has fostered a
negative connotation with aging, the
antique aircraft exemptions
mentioned above show that senior
status does have its advantages. Even
if your Velo doesn’t qualify for the 3”
letter exemption available to
experimentals ≤ 180 KCAS (Hey, it’s
called a Velocity for a reason!), you will
eventually be able to opt for 2”
exterior markings once your model
ANY AIRPLANE THAT HAS THE SAME "EXTERNAL
ages into the
antique tier.
Until then, be
proud to know
you own
aNXceptional
airplane that,
like a fine
wine, will
only get
better with
age.
Velocity Model
29
CONFIGURATION" AS THE FIRST VELOCITY IS ABOUT
TO BECOME AN "ANTIQUE DESIGN"
NX255DM ?!?
Year
Introduced
DMO (Dan Maher
Original)
1985
173 (with long wings)
1992
Standard Elite (“SE”)
1995
XL (bigger fuselage)
1997
SUV
1999
V-Twin
2012
Disclaimer: While every effort has been
made to ensure the accuracy of the
included material, the referenced
portions of 14 CFR Parts 45 and 47; AC
45-2D; and other research documents
are somewhat confusing, convoluted
and, at times, contradictory. In
addition, for the sake of brevity, certain
relevant sections of the aforementioned
resources have been omitted from this
article. Please refer to the complete
documents and FARs for a thorough
understanding of Antique and
Experimental aircraft exterior marking
requirements. Refer all questions to
your local FSDO for the official FAA
interpretation of these regulations.
Reference Materials
FAA Advisory Circular 45-2D: Identification and Registration Marking
§47.15(b)
14 CFR Part 45 Subpart C (§45.21 through §45.33)
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraf
t_registry/aircraft_nnumber_history/
http://www.aopa.org/Pilot-Resources/PIC-archive/AircraftOwnership/Airplane-N-Number-Markings
http://www.warbirds-eaa.org/programs/smalln.html
http://www.kitplanes.com/magazine/miscellaneous/Ask_the_DAR_0
409.php
http://www.velocityaircraft.com/airplane-models.html
http://wiki.velocityoba.com/index.php?title=Velocity_Models
http://www.velocityaircraft.com/about-velocity.html
http://www.velocityxl.com/content.php?595-UnOfficial-VelocityHistory-Section
http://wiki.velocityoba.com/index.php?title=UnOfficial_Velocity_Hist
ory
http://www.velocityxl.com/content.php?593-About-Velocity-Section
http://www.schemedesigners.com/FAAregs.htm
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=109563
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity,_Inc.
30
Safety Wire Anchor Point
by Jorge Bujanda
When I first changed
the oil filter on my
1975 engine (a 300-hp
Lycoming IO-540-K1AS), I
perfect flying weather (Thanks,
Murphy!).
thought it would make a good anchor
point. I grinded a wide-area washer
(AN970) to an egg shape that would fit
in the space, drilled a hole close to the
edge, and placed it under the nut.
Twenty minutes later, I had an anchor
point for the safety wire – then I went
flying twice that weekend. 
In search of a solution, I noticed that
one of the studs that attach my
backup alternator was very close, and I
noticed that the small hole for the
oil filter’s safety wire had eroded
significantly over the years and would
surely break before much longer. Sure
enough, the thin piece broke off three
oil filter changes later – which
happened on the Saturday morning of
a weekend with
I grinded a wide-area washer
to an egg shape [and] drilled
a hole close to the edge
VOBA member Dr. Jorge
Bujanda built and flies a
300-hp Lycoming IO540-powered XL-FG,
N478B (aka “Dr.
Tuky”). For more on
Jorge’s construction
and flying tips, visit
www.jbujanda.com.
I found mounting
studs to be extremely
expensive for what they
are, so I came up with my
own, cheaper alternative. I bought
100 hex head screws, 100 wide area
washers, 100 nylock nuts (all non-AN),
and 50 tie wrap mounts all for the
price of a few commercial studs. I
assembled them as seen in the above
photo and used hard stock or wooden
templates to align them in any
unleveled surface.
I chose hex head screws so they would
not rotate during tightening. I used the
tie wrap mounts to keep the washer in
place against the screw head and the
surface while
curing the stud in
place, as seen
on the left
(above photo). I
selected flox as
the bonding
agent and made
sure to remove
any excess. I left
the tie wraps on
most studs to serve
as spacers in
unleveled surfaces
and as isolators or
dampeners. A contactor can be seen
installed in the center (above photo).
Another attachment idea (depending
on function) is to open a hole in the
fiberglass and flox a nut plate in
place, as seen on the right (above
photo).
In addition to serving as an
affordable, secure mounting option,
31
DIY Mounting Studs
by Jorge Bujanda
these studs have allowed me to install
devices on the wing spar and firewall
without having to drill them. I finished
my third annual in December, and
everything remains as tight as when I
installed it.
VOBA member Dr. Jorge
Bujanda built and flies a
300-hp Lycoming IO540-powered XL-FG,
N478B (aka “Dr.
Tuky”). For more on
Jorge’s construction
and flying tips, visit
www.jbujanda.com.
32
First Flights
Hiroo Umeno N21HV
by Stephen Lewis
Following a lengthy,
 New LED NAV/STRB lights
7½-year stint as a
 Addition of a passenger
door with a Hendricks flush
door latch [see Don Johnston’s
Upgrading to Hendricks Door Latches
this issue – Ed.]
hangar queen, N21HV,
Hiroo Umeno’s SUV-FG,
finally emerged from hibernation
on Saturday, March 28 with Hiroo
himself at the controls. After some
high-speed taxi tests to check the
brakes and ground tracking, Umeno
launched into the wild blue yonder
from his home base at Snohomish
County Airport/Paine Field (KPAE) in
Everett, Washington, for some
maneuvering and to break in his
Franklin engine’s cylinders.
Per Hiroo, N21HV saw speeds of 160165 KIAS @ 25” MAP & 2700 RPM (DA
2500 ft.), though he wants to do more
flight testing to verify (or debunk) the
validity of those
numbers.
Additionally, the
plane is still
covered in a
drag-inducing
eggshell primer, so
performance is
bound to improve
once further exterior
cleanup is completed.
During the SUV’s
ground-bound hiatus,
Hiroo performed a
number of
modifications/upgrades on
the plane, including:
 A backup GRT Mini-X EFIS
 New cylinder sleeves and valves
 A new starter (with 2-gauge wire)
 Rebuilt carburetor
 RBH conversion
 Relocated the primary AHRS to the
wing root area
What’s next for Hiroo? Once he
completes his test runs and any
necessary tweaks, one of Umeno’s
priorities is to give his 7-year-old
daughters their inaugural ride in -1HV.
Oh, and he’s hoping to finesse his
landings;
apparently,
Everett’s controllers don’t like it
when GA pilots use up too much of the
primary runway’s 9,010 feet of
pavement.
Congratulations to Hiroo & family on
their new & improved SUV-FG. We
look forward to hearing of their many
exciting adventures that lay ahead.
33
Listed for sale
FAA Data
Aircraft Updates
by Otto Mattic
Incident
SFG014 4/20/2015 (SE) Owned by
Babb, Tony of San Jose, CA. Built by
Babb, Tony.
N360VT 3/18/2015 (Twin) Owned by
BAY AREA AIR LLC of PALO ALTO,
CA. Built by FREDERICK HAYS-ROTH.
N112TH 2/13/2015 (SE) Owned by
SALE REPORTED of SOUTHPORT,
NC. (Previously FISHER THOMAS D of
INDIAN LAND, SC.) Built by
ROBERTSON JAMES F.
3RX039 3/16/2015 (XL) Owned by
Enfield, Robert of Olive Branch, MS.
(Previously Thomas, Bruce (friend of
owner) of Murfreesboro, TN.)
N59WH 3/20/2015 (SE) Owned by
HUISMAN WILLEM J of PORT
ORANGE, FL. Built by HUISMAN
WILLEM JOHANNES. (Aircraft may
previously have been registered as
N127DH built by HUISMAN WIM J)
N34CV 5/12/2015 (XL) Owned by
NEEDHAM RON D of DARIEN, IL. Built
by NEEDHAM RON D.
Kit listed for sale
Airworthiness Certificate Issued
N7779X 1/15/2015 (XL) Owned by SCHUSTER JEFFREY P of RANCHO
SANTA FE, CA. Built by JEFFREY P SCHUSTER.
First Flight
N7779X 1/27/2015 (XL) Owned by SCHUSTER JEFFREY P of RANCHO
SANTA FE, CA. Built by JEFFREY P SCHUSTER.
DMO241 3/20/2015 () Owned by
Gonzalez, Chris of Fort Smith, AR.
Built by BAKER KEVIN V. (Aircraft may
previously have been registered as
N98X built by BAKER KEVIN V)
34
Listed for sale
Where does
this report
come from?
N399DG 5/26/2015 (SUV) Owned by
TAPPEN CHRISTOPHER L of
CARMEL, CA. (Previously WILLIAMS
RAE A of ELMORE, AL.) Built by
TAPPEN CHRIS.
N116GT 4/20/2015 (Standard) Owned
by RUDIN MELVIN of PORT
ANGELES, WA. Built by MEISE
GRAHAM Q. (Aircraft may previously
have been registered as N211JP built
by BROOKS J / DOERS D)
N729JK 4/20/2015 (SE) Owned by
MOORE JAMES B of VERO BEACH,
FL. Built by MOORE JAMES B.
N62AL 4/20/2015 (SUV) Owned by
MEYER DIETRICH A of PIONEER, CA.
Built by MEYER DIETRICH A.
C-GVCK 4/20/2015 (XL) Owned by CEK
Associates of Toronto, ON. Built by
Kohn Carl.
N97VE 3/17/2015 (173 Elite) Owned by
SALE REPORTED of LAS VEGAS, NV.
(Previously DAKOTA CAULKING INC
of MANDAN, ND.) Built by MORGAN
ROBERT A.
Every month the FAA releases
an updated database on
aircraft registrations,
airworthiness certificates, and
incidents. An automated
process is run that uses the
FAA info plus some public
listings on aircraft classified ad
sites in order to:
 Find any new Velocities in
the FAA registry.
 Flag any changes in
airworthiness, registration,
ownership, or location.
 Match the registration
number against 5,000+ photos
in the Velocity Wiki and VOBA
archives and select a high-res
image of the plane.
 Compile the changes and
photos into this report.
The information represented
here has not been checked for
accuracy. The images may not
faithfully depict the aircraft
mentioned. This was all
compiled by a robot. You may
be the first human that has
read it. If you find an error
please email it to us at:
[email protected]
Listed for sale
N503PV 4/13/2015 (XL) Owned by
VAUGHAN PHILLIP OWEN of
GREENSBORO, NC. Built by
VAUGHAN PHILLIP OWEN.
Registration Cancelled Sale reported
N112TH 4/28/2015 (SE) Owned by
SALE REPORTED of SOUTHPORT,
NC. (Previously FISHER THOMAS D of
INDIAN LAND, SC.) Built by
ROBERTSON JAMES F.
35
Canard Comics
36
Publication Notes
About Velocity News
Colophon
VOBA's Velocity
VOBA's Velocity News is written and
edited in Microsoft Word on
Windows PCs. Photos edited in
Paint.net. Personnel management
by Elance. File management by
Dropbox. Typesetting and layout in
Microsoft Word. Body text is Corbel
10.5 point. Final distribution in
Adobe Acrobat Portable Document
Format through a ClubExpresshosted forum and web site.
News is a publication
of the Velocity Owners
and Builders Association
(VOBA). It is published quarterly
and distributed to VOBA members as
part of their membership.
This issue
Publisher:
Editor:
Contributors:
Cartoons:
VOBA
Stephen Lewis
Stephen Lewis
Pedro Mello
Don Johnston
Andy Millin
Jorge Bujanda
Patrick Sieders
Duane Swing
Report any distribution, display, or
other usability problems to:
[email protected]
Concepts by Reiff Lorenz
Art by Art by B.E.Duria
A special thank you to Brett Ferrell for
providing a database of aircraft and a
wiki full of well-labeled, indexable
images.
On the cover
Pedro Mello's Brazilian-registered
Standard RG, PP-XCX
More info
A note to new
builders and those
becoming interested
in Velocity Aircraft. There
are many resources available
to help you research, get started,
and stay motivated throughout
the construction process.
The Velocity Reflector
http://www.tvbf.org/
This is an email-based group of
Velocity enthusiasts run by builder
Brian Michalk. It requires an
administrator's permission to join,
but it's free.
There is an archive of The
Reflector messages at builder
Brett Ferrell's web site:
http://www.velocityxl.com/forum
Reflector posts are searchable and
sorted by topic after the
conversation has concluded.
Membership is required, but free.
There is a wiki of Velocity-related
information (also run by Brett
Ferrell) at:
http://wiki.velocityoba.com
It has the most information of any
single site. A free account is
required for some sections.
We also have a Facebook group
started and administrated by
builder Larry Epstein. To join,
search Facebook for:
Velocity Builders and Pilots.
Plus these social media outlets:
Twitter: @VelocityOwners
Instagram: VelocityOwners
Issue 2015-06
Coming Next Month
Brian Michalk's Oil Cooler
Photos from Oshkosh
38
Airventure Oshkosh
Map to the Cookout
The cookout is on Wednesday, 6pm at
10th and Elm in Camp Scholler. It is a 20minute walk from the airshow entrance.
39
To get there from the airshow, exit
from the East gate or FlyMarket gate.
Head west on Schaick past the Red
Barn, and turn left on 10th Street.
40
N62J, an XL RG built by Spurgeon Duncan
Velocity Owners and Builders Association
6510 Halberd Court
Dayton, OH 45459
www.VelocityOwners.com
[email protected]

Velocity News

Transcrição

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