Velocity aircraft approach speed

Kritchlow

Kritchlow

Final Approach
Joined
Dec 2, 2014
Messages
7,714
Display Name
Display name:
Kritchlow
I live in Sebastian, and frequent the airport to, well, checkout airplanes.

When I see a Velocity Airplane on final, it always looks roughly double speed of other aircraft on final.
Is that the normal speed, or is it just some sort of testing? It’s mind blowing.
 
Not that unusual for a canard aircraft. They're set up so that the canard stalls first, so if the plane gets too slow, the plane pitches down suddenly. This can be a problem close to the ground... stall a conventional aircraft ten feet up, and it'll flop to the runway mostly flat. The canard aircraft's nose drops, instead. IIRC, there was a new canard design a few years ago (OMAC?) that broke several nosewheels during flight testing.

Ron Wanttaja
 
That prop on the back is also a big problem. It limits a deep flare. Notice in the pic above how close to the ground it already is. The only reason I don’t own a velocity is it’s inability to handle moderately short fields.

The velocity folks at Sebastian will be happy to take you for a demo ride. They do charge for it, but when I did it it wasn’t an obscene amount.
 
Last edited:
About 80-85 kts on final. Definitely don’t want the canard to stall during the flare.
 
It's going to depend on which Velocity and some other factors. But for an XL-RG, I flew downwind at 100kts, base at 90kts, final at 80kts, over the numbers at 75kts and on the ground at 70.

I think it probably looks faster because of the size and shape.
 
donjohnston said:
It's going to depend on which Velocity and some other factors. But for an XL-RG, I flew downwind at 100kts, base at 90kts, final at 80kts, over the numbers at 75kts and on the ground at 70.

I think it probably looks faster because of the size and shape.
Click to expand...

Those numbers sound about the same as what I use in the T-Lance.
 
Except the touch down number. they are the same a Cirrus.

Tim
 
Okay, thanks to all. Everything said makes sense.

I also noticed what sounded like a high engine rpm. Perhaps that’s just the way the pusher prop sounds?
The sound of the higher rpm may contribute to the illusion, along with the flat final approach.
 
RPM on landing should be like any non pusher config. They’re louder because the airflow around the fuse and the exhaust goes through the prop.

My dad always says “ your engine doesn’t sound good…sputtering.” I’ve explained to him a million times 1) I have a cruise prop, therefore I only get 2,250 rpm on takeoff and 2) the airflow is getting cut by the prop producing a popping sound.
 
Velocity173 said:
They’re louder because the airflow around the fuse and the exhaust goes through the prop
Click to expand...
This must be why the Piaggio Avanti sounds do, "unique", when you hear it overhead!

I love the look of pusher configs and canards. Understand that canard wing planes are efficient because of many reasons, including a wing in "clean" airflow, or so you'll read. But does having the propeller consume so much disturbed air not wash out the other benefits? Maybe not, the Avanti sips gas and goes notably faster than many of the Cessna Slow, I mean Citation jets.

I'm hoping by the time I have money / time / intellectual capacity to build my own plane Velocity will have the rumored 6 place twin out! Bummer about the landing roll but 70-75 knots over the numbers doesn't sound bad. In the Cirrus I never got under 90 until short final and I keep it well above blue line in the twins I fly too. I've never had a problem at "shorter" fields like Pismo Beach Oceano, 2300' runway. You just really have to get it down on the piano keys.
 
Tantalum said:
This must be why the Piaggio Avanti sounds do, "unique", when you hear it overhead!

I love the look of pusher configs and canards. Understand that canard wing planes are efficient because of many reasons, including a wing in "clean" airflow, or so you'll read. But does having the propeller consume so much disturbed air not wash out the other benefits? Maybe not, the Avanti sips gas and goes notably faster than many of the Cessna Slow, I mean Citation jets.

I'm hoping by the time I have money / time / intellectual capacity to build my own plane Velocity will have the rumored 6 place twin out! Bummer about the landing roll but 70-75 knots over the numbers doesn't sound bad. In the Cirrus I never got under 90 until short final and I keep it well above blue line in the twins I fly too. I've never had a problem at "shorter" fields like Pismo Beach Oceano, 2300' runway. You just really have to get it down on the piano keys.
Click to expand...

It is.
https://www.avweb.com/news/naples-targets-piaggio-noise/
 
For a cool plane it is an admittedly irritating sound.
 
Velocity173 said:
RPM on landing should be like any non pusher config. They’re louder because the airflow around the fuse and the exhaust goes through the prop.

My dad always says “ your engine doesn’t sound good…sputtering.” I’ve explained to him a million times 1) I have a cruise prop, therefore I only get 2,250 rpm on takeoff and 2) the airflow is getting cut by the prop producing a popping sound.
Click to expand...
Interesting you say “sputtering”. there were a few in the pattern, and I noticed one was constantly “popping” on final. Not quite a sputter, and less severe than a backfire, but one of them did make a popping noise on final… but not the others.
fDifferent designs??
 
Kritchlow said:
Interesting you say “sputtering”. there were a few in the pattern, and I noticed one was constantly “popping” on final. Not quite a sputter, and less severe than a backfire, but one of them did make a popping noise on final… but not the others.
fDifferent designs??
Click to expand...

Yeah could be different types. They do demos in a few variants and they always have customer builds flying around.

Some use 4 cyl while others have 6 cyl Lycoming. Some three and four blade CS vs 3 blade fixed. Some have straight exhaust while other downward exhaust. Cowlings vary among models, etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top