Choosing the Velocity SE
Unlike Snoopy, I can't fly a doghouse.
My first introduction to kit planes, was a Challenger II, I helped work on.
Brand new, these are priced at around $25k, which is very affordable. The tandem seating and high wing arrangements makes for great site seeing! However, when looking at my primary needs, in an aircraft, this one was not for me. My primary use, is expected to be to fly between the different islands, here in Hawaii. Take an overnight trip to Honolulu, or a weekend getaway to Kauai. With it's very low flying speed, its not great for long trips, and open sides means its not great in rain, and almost zero storage space means no luggage. Awesome little plane, but not right for me.
I then bought into a partnership of a Sonex.
Great little plane! Not a personal fan of automobile engines being converted for airplane use; otherwise, at $30k its still affordable and much faster, than the Challenger. This plane is much better for getting between islands; however, its only two seats and still very little storage space. Its a great plane for getting two people to lunch, or one person with luggage. This makes it a great trainer, but not a great traveling plane. So the search continues...
Then I read an article in EAA's Sport Plane magazine, about the Lockwood AirCam kit plane.
I love this plane! Specifically designed for National Geographic photographers, so the view is beyond compare. Twin engines adds a huge margin of safety, great for extended flights over open ocean. It also has an optional full canopy. I could really see sight seeing around Hawaii in this plane! The down side is that twin engines brings the cost up to around $75k, and its not any faster than the Sonex. It has some luggage space, but still not much. As much as I loved this plane, it wasn't quite the right fit, for me. If I was gonna have a second plane, this would probably be it.
After looking back over these planes and really thinking about how I wanted to utilize my plane, I decided I wanted a four seater with at least a small additional storage space. I see taking my wife and I on romantic weekends around Hawaii, where we would want a lot of luggage, which we could put on the back seats. Four seats would also allow site seeing and day trips with the two of us and two passengers. Limiting my search to four seaters really reduced the options. Most kit planes are one and two seaters. In fact, it quickly brought my decision down to two: Velocity and Van's RV-10.
The most popular kit plane manufacturer, in the world, Van's. In particular the RV-10.
Van's makes a great kit plane, which is why they are so popular. It met every criteria: four seats, luggage compartment, and fast. So why did I go with the Velocity? It was comparing the specific differences of these two planes, and which one met my needs as a pilot and builder best.
The Velocity!
The first thing that got my attention about the Velocity line of aircraft, was purely aesthetics. They look like the Ferrari of the sky! Sleek, and curvy, with swept wings, makes them look fast, and the canard wing layout is so unique. It all adds up to one gorgeous plane.
Looks are great, but a very silly thing to base a plane purchase on.
Choosing between the two:
Both planes start at around $100k; however, with 20 year financing, they are still quite affordable. The velocity tends to run a little more than the RV-10, but not by a huge margin. Individual choices make more of a difference than the difference between the kit costs. So money does not decide between the two.
As a pilot, there is a trade-off between the two.
The velocity is slightly faster; however, it needs a longer runway. This is partly due to being faster and sleeker, and partly due to the fact that the Velocity cannot have flaps. The velocity needs a 1,500' minimum runway, which is 3 times more than the RV-10. Due to its pusher engine configuration, the Velocity does not like grass or dirt runways, at all. The Van's, on the other hand, does not mind dirt or grass. Well, how does that effect flying in Hawaii? Not at all. Most airports in Hawaii are for commercial and military aircraft, with runways around 10,000', or more! The shortest runways are around 3,000', or twice the length needed for the Velocity.
Therefore, the Velocity is faster, with no real down side, as a pilot in Hawaii, than the RV.
What about as a builder? Just because the Velocity is a better choice for flying in Hawaii, doesn't make building any easier. Well maybe a little, but not much!
Here is where these two planes are worlds apart. Van's Aircraft are aluminum framed with aluminum sheet metal skins, while the Velocity is fiberglass with foam cored wings. I cannot imagine two more dissimilar methods of building an airplane. They both have major downsides too...
I have very little experience working with fiberglass, and I have heard it is not fun. I do know that it requires wearing protective clothing, gloves, a face mask, and safety glasses. So working with fiberglass is not fun.
Well, what about building a Van's? Building with aluminum requires thousands and thousands of rivets, I think even tens of thousands of rivets. Smaller planes, like the Sonex can use pop-rivets, actuated by a device similar to a large pair of pliers; however, larger aircraft, like the Van's require real rivets, which must be "bucked". This is like the old skyscraper building with rivets and jackhammers. Most of the construction requires two people. One to operate an air hammer, the other to hold the bucking bar. This was a breaking point for building a Van's. My wife is a great help, when I need her; however, she doesn't really want to invest 1/2 the work of building the plane. I also have friends, who are willing to help me with my build; however, I can't count on help every day, when I need it. This means that as a builder, the choice is for the Velocity.
Once I chose the Velocity, it was choosing between the SE and the XL. I LOVE the Velocity V-Twin, and it very well may be my next plane, but for now it is way out of my price range. The SE, on the other hand, is slightly larger inside than a Cessna 172, so for two medium sized adults as the main occupants, the SE is perfect. Being slightly smaller, it also requires a smaller engine which uses less fuel, both of which reduce the costs.
Therefore, the Velocity SE was the best choice, for me, as a pilot and a builder. With that, I sent in my order form and deposit to Velocity.
Let the preparations begin...