REFLECTOR: Making Velocities easier to build?

[Reiff Lorenz]

I downloaded the November issue of Kitplanes an came across this quote by the CEO of Velocity on page 33. It was in response to the question: How has the homebuilt aircraft industry changed over the last 25 years?

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In our business, the time it takes to
build an airplane is critical. The FAA
has allowed certain conditions to exist
now where a builder can come to the factory
and pay for professional assistance
from factory-trained staff. That cuts the
time the builder must spend building
to a fraction of what it used to be, and
that is the most significant change we've
had in the industry. The builder gets
enough experience building to maintain
the aircraft safely and apply, legally, for
the Repairman's Certificate, and he/she
gets an airplane that has been built to
factory quality specifications. That's a
monumental change.

It will be a benefit to any manufacturers
that can afford to set up this kind of
builders assistance program. We estimate
for Velocity it will cost upwards of
$200,000 to set up the program, because
presently the parts we make are designed
where the builder must build 51% of the
airplane using time as the measurement;
now we will go back and modify every
mold that we have so that no longer does
the builder have to do something with
those parts. They will be molded such
that the labor for the builder decreases.
It will be more expensive, but someone
who can afford [a $300,000 project]
does not have a lot of time to build, and
will see this as an attractive program.

Velocity CEO Duane Swing

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He seems to be talking about changes ahead for the Velocity builder who wants to assemble an aircraft but not fabricate as many components. Anybody heard of the program that he mentions setting up? This seems to run contrary to what the FAA has been saying in their recent review of the 51% rule. I'd love to hear all your opinions.

Reiff Lorenz
Velocity builder wanna-be
(hoping to hit the lottery for  $300,000)

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