| Velocity XL | |
| Number Built: | 229 (December 2011) |
The Velocity XL (XL: Extra Large) is an American amateur-built aircraft, produced by Velocity, Inc. It is an enlarged version of their Velocity SE canard pusher design.[1] [2]
The Velocity XL is 310mm longer and has a 510mm greater span than the SE. The standard XL has a cruising range of 875nmi and a 75% power cruising speed of 185kn air speed.[3] [4]
The XL is available in both fixed gear (FG) and retractable gear (RG) form and can accommodate either three or four passengers plus a pilot. The five seat versions, the XL-5 and the TXL-RG-5, have a rear bench seat for three rather than the alternative separate pair of seats.[4] [5]
Engines available as kits from the manufacturer for all models are the Lycoming IO-360 of 180to, Lycoming IO-540 of 260to, Continental IO-550 of 310to and the Franklin 6A350C1 of 205to.[1] [2] [6] Builders may use these manufacturer kits or design their own engine installations using a variety of other engines of similar power output.
The now-defunct Rocket Racing League utilized a highly modified Velocity XL FG airframe and an Armadillo Aerospace 2,500 pound thrust liquid oxygen (LOX) and ethanol rocket engine in both its Mark-II X-Racer and Mark-III X-Racer demonstration vehicles. The Mark-II utilized a standard fixed-gear Velocity XL airframe, modified for rocket propulsion. The Mark-III airframe was more extensively customized during manufacture, explicitly for rocket racing, with a canopy top, center seat and control stick and other enhancements, in addition to the rocket propulsion added to the Mark-II.[8]