Velocity
.jpg) Velocity. Photo: Armchair Aviator's, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Velocity |
|---|---|
| Model | Velocity |
| Type | Homebuilt aircraft |
| Country |  United States
|
| First flight | July 1985 |
| Built | 1985–present
|
| Registered in the US | 259 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | 1/2, 2/3 passengers / 1000 lb payload |
| Engine | Lycoming IO-360, 200 hp |
| Cruise speed | 187 kn (Velocity SE-RG IO-360) |
| Range | 1,000 nmi (Velocity SE-RG IO-360) |
| Service ceiling | 20,000 ft (Velocity SE-RG IO-360) |
| Max weight | 2,300 lb (Velocity SE-RG IO-360) |
| Developed from | Rutan Long-EZ |
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The Velocity is a four-seat kit airplane with a canard (a small front wing) and a pusher engine at the back, sold by Velocity Aircraft.[1] It is based on the Rutan Long-EZ and first flew in July 1985.[1] In the U.S. there are 259 with a valid registration under Velocity model names, which include the larger Velocity XL.[2]
History
The first Velocity was a four-seat composite airplane with fixed landing gear. Retractable gear became an option in 1990.[1] In 1992 a larger wing arrived that gave the airplane handling similar to a Cessna 172; airplanes with it were first called the "Model 173".[1] A bigger Velocity XL followed in 1997.[1]
Versions
The 173 Elite added gull-wing doors, a full-length center console, adjustable bucket seats and a bigger windshield, and in time replaced the original as the standard model.[1] The SUV ("Sport Utility Velocity") was a lower-cost fixed-gear model with one gull-wing door. In 2002 the two-door SE replaced it as the entry-level model.[1] The specifications below are for an SE with retractable gear and a 200 hp Lycoming IO-360.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 259 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| VELOCITY | 36 |
| VELOCITY XL RG | 20 |
| VELOCITY RG | 18 |
| VELOCITY XL-RG | 12 |
| VELOCITY V-TWIN | 11 |
| VELOCITY XLRG | 9 |
| VELOCITY XLRG-5 | 7 |
| VELOCITY XL | 6 |
| VELOCITY 173RG | 5 |
| VELOCITY SUV | 5 |
| VELOCITY STANDARD RG | 4 |
| VELOCITY STD RG | 4 |
| VELOCITY SE | 4 |
| VELOCITY ELITE | 4 |
| VELOCITY 173 RG | 4 |
| VELOCITY XL FG | 3 |
| VELOCITY XLFG | 3 |
| VELOCITY SE-FG | 3 |
| VELOCITY SE-RG | 3 |
| VELOCITY SUV FG | 3 |
| 75 other model names | 95 |
Specifications (Velocity SE-RG IO-360)
| Item | Velocity SE-RG IO-360 |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1/2 |
| Passengers / capacity | 2/3 passengers / 1000 lb payload |
| Length | 19 ft |
| Wingspan | 29 ft 4 in |
| Height | 7 ft 9 in |
| Empty weight | 1,300 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 2,300 lb |
| Fuel | 60 USgal |
| Engine | Lycoming IO-360, 200 hp (4-cyl. horizontally-opposed air-cooled piston engine) |
| Cruise speed | 187 kn |
| Stall speed | 60 kn |
| Never-exceed speed | 200 kn |
| Range | 1,000 nmi |
| Service ceiling | 20,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1,200 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Velocity 173 Elite RG, Front Range Airport, Denver, Colorado. Photo: Greg Goebel, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
Velocity RG (N827PM, cn DMO-272) at 2024 Sun 'n Fun, Lakeland Linder International Airport. Photo: ZLEA, CC BY-SA 4.0 -
Velocity. Photo: Alan Radecki Akradecki, CC BY-SA 3.0
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Velocity
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Wikipedia, "Velocity Velocity", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.