ROCKET JOCKS GET THEIR 'TRAINING WHEELS'

The RRL takes delivery of its first plane, a Mark-1 X-Racer trainer


An important milestone in the evolution of the Rocket Racing League® from idea to reality was reached in Lakeland, Florida at one of the largest aviation events in the U.S., the annual Sun 'n Fun Fly-in. It was there that the Rocket Racing League® (RRL) took delivery of its company-owned Mark-1 X-Racer™ trainer.

Decked out in the company's red and white race colors, the aircraft is a full scale operational Velocity SE FG and will serve as a training vehicle for rocket racing pilots. A second Velocity, already owned by the RRL, is currently undergoing modifications, including the installation of a rocket engine, by XCOR Aerospace at their facility in Mojave, California.

The RRL training aircraft is currently powered by a Lycoming IO-360 piston engine, but is slated for eventual conversion to rocket power. The vehicle will allow rocket racing pilots to familiarize themselves with its takeoff, flight handling and landing characteristics. Rocket Racing League® pilots Sean D. Tucker and Erik Lindbergh, Vice President of Technology Development Michael D'Angelo and XCOR Aerospace Chief Engineer Dan DeLong addressed a group of pilots and press at the unveiling of the Velocity training craft.

According to Granger Whitelaw, President and CEO of the Rocket Racing League®, "With Velocity as our manufacturing partner, the sky is no longer the limit! Rocket racing will give you the ride of your life and entertainment like none you've experienced before!"

In partnership with the Rocket Racing League®, Velocity, Inc. will be the sole provider of airframes for the newest brainchild of aerospace luminary Dr. Peter Diamandis, founder of the Ansari X-Prize and Granger Whitelaw, two-time Indianapolis 500 champion team partner.

The Mark-1 X-Racer is based on a highly modified Velocity SE FG airframe, combined with a 1,500 pound thrust rocket engine from XCOR Aerospace and a custom integrated avionics and simulations package that allows for X-Racer competition through virtual three-dimensional race tracks in the sky.

"The Velocity family is excited to have been selected by the Rocket Racing League® as the first airframe provider for the X-Racer and we look forward to seeing our SE morph into the Mark-1, taking to the skies in roaring vertical flight trailing twenty foot rocket plumes," said Scott Swing, president of Velocity, Inc.

Changes to the standard Velocity SE model include installation of a large hatch in the top of the fuselage to accommodate installation of the LOX tank, larger fuel lines to handle the increased flow and beefed-up wing spars and control system hardware to handle the additional loads imposed by the types of high-G maneuvers that will be required in RRL competition.

Modified SE’s will be equipped with a piston engine and standard instrument panel to allow it to be flown cross-country from Velocity’s headquarters in Florida to the XCOR facility in California. XCOR will then complete the transformation into an X-Racer by removing the engine and instrument panel and installing RRL-spec hardware. The removed hardware will then be freighted back to Velocity headquarters to be installed in the next plane. This process not only eliminates the need to truck the planes across the country, but also serves as part of the FAA ‘Phase 1’ fly-off required of all new aircraft before being released into public airspace.

Overview of the Velocity SE

No other kit aircraft offers the quality, performance, comfort and superior design of the standard Velocity. Featuring easy-entry dual gull-wing doors, this model accommodates 4- and 6-cylinder piston engines producing from 160 to 220 horsepower. Cruise speed ranges from 150 to 187 knots, depending on horsepower, propeller pitch and landing gear selected.

In its aerodynamic design, the Velocity's stability is one of its strongest assets. Everything is generating lift: the wings, canard, fuselage, winglets, wheel pants, and even the main gear. If and when influenced by outside forces such as wind gusts, thermals, etc., everything is affected the same way – resulting in little or no change in pitch or attitude.

Although the Velocity will be substantially modified for the installation of rocket engines and the rigors of competition, in its customer version the SE offers long range cross country capability with a spacious, quiet four-person cabin and adequate baggage capacity. The aerodynamically advanced design results in true 200+ mph cruise speeds with incredible pitch and roll stability and a solid feel on the controls.

Using modern day airfoil technology, clean cabin lines, and non-complex systems, the Velocity exceeds all other aircraft in its class – in efficiency, performance, and simplicity. The Velocity performs best at altitudes of 7000 to 12000 feet – probably the best environment for comfort and efficiency of operation. Piloting chores can be shared by both pilots, and the Velocity's incredible stability and spacious instrument panel make it an excellent IFR platform.

With extremely crisp controls and excellent aerodynamic stability, the Velocity has been described as if it was mounted on rails, allowing you to fly long distances with a minimal pilot load, yet it will dogfight with the best of the two seat sport planes. Once on the ground, the Velocity is as sure-footed as a cat, with its full-castering nosewheel, 100" wheelbase, 80" track, and oversize wheels and brakes.

When equipped with a 200 horsepower piston engine and variable-pitch propeller, the Velocity SE FG has a takeoff distance of 1,400 feet and a 1,000 feet-per-minute rate of climb. Its top speed is approximately 200 mph, and the operational ceiling is 18,000 feet. The landing speed is 70 knots and requires 1,500 feet

“While the flight characteristics of the X-Racer will be somewhat different due to the acceleration of the rocket engine, the prop-powered training plane will still be useful in helping RRL pilots get used to how the basic airframe flies,” says Swing. “The Velocity is quite stable and easy to fly, probably too easy for guys used to flying F-16s, but future versions will be more sophisticated. The main difference is that the Velocity’s rudders are in the winglets rather than the tail, so the plane tends to bank automatically when you turn it. And the front canard design requires landing it like a small, twin-engine aircraft; you want to fly it down to the ground rather than stall it in like a single-engined plane.”

Overview of Velocity Aircraft

Velocity, Inc. provides airframe parts and sub-assemblies, design support, and technical assistance to allow amateur aircraft builders a way to build their own 4-place, modern, high performance, and efficient general aviation aircraft - known simply as "the Velocity".

Celebrating its 20th-year of providing the "Wright" stuff, Velocity, Inc. has delivered over 675-Velocity aircraft kits to customers worldwide. Velocity, Inc. offers two cabin models with a wide range of available options. The factory and its associated Velocity Service Center are located in Sebastian, Florida. But Velocity if far more than just a builder of kit planes and supplier of racing machines for the RRL says company vice president Scott Baker. “We’re full speed ahead around here, and the Rocket Racing League® project is just one of several exciting things we have in the works. We’re working with Proxy Aviation Systems to develop UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) for government and military use, and with a company called Velocity Aerospace to sell and produce planes in the Far East, including China. We’re also working on development of a twin-engined version of the Velocity that will be available as a kit.”

Velocity Aircraft
200 W Airport Dr., Sebastian FL 32958, USA
(772) 589-1860 * Fax: (772) 589-1893
E-mail info@velocityaircraft.com
www.velocityaircraft.com