By Dick Knapinski
Paul Barber, EAA 139692, got plenty of joy flying his Velocity that he built over a four-year period more than 20 years ago. Now that airplane will be something that will bring others joy when they pass EAA’s facilities beginning next year.
Paul landed the Velocity at Wittman Regional Airport on December 6, donating it to the EAA Aviation Foundation to become part of the EAA Aviation Museum and be seen even by those who never set foot in the museum. The aircraft next year will become part of the homebuilt aircraft display near Interstate 41 that welcomes people to EAA and to Oshkosh.
“I’m retired now and spend half my time in Arizona and half in Nebraska,” Paul said. “I’m involved in a lot of activities that I like to do. So it was just time.”
The arrival of the aircraft completes a circle that began with Paul and his son while attending the EAA fly-in convention at Oshkosh nearly 30 years ago.
“I’m looking at another airplane and my son goes, ‘Dad, you gotta see this,’” Paul said. “He pulls me over and it was one of the first years [Velocity] was at Oshkosh. So anyway, later I was down for a meeting in Florida and had an afternoon off, so I called [Duane] Swing saying I’d like to look at the aircraft he’s putting together. He asked if I wanted to take a test flight and I was like, ‘Oh, sure, whatever.’”
That test flight included an innocent question about aerobatics in the Velocity, which turned into an instantaneous barrel roll by Swing. Six months later, Paul ordered the kit and began a four-year build that included a residence move from Iowa to Nebraska.
The sports car handling of the airplane was enjoyable – “where you look, it goes,” Paul said – and 175-knot airspeed at eight to nine gallons per hour was great. But as with many pursuits, this one had run its course with plenty of great memories. Paul then worked with the EAA Aviation Foundation to add the Velocity to its collection in Oshkosh.
And so, what about the idea of having the airplane highlight the homebuilt legacy of EAA for people as they arrive at EAA?
“It’s the best thing ever,” he said.
