Every experimental aircraft has a paper trail of logbooks, but N495DV carries a deeper ledger of friendship and determination. When the original builder lost momentum after five years of work, the fuselage of this Velocity 173 SE-RG Elite sat silent, waiting for a second act. It found that spark at the KTPL airport in Temple, Texas, where a partnership was forged between a public school IT veteran and a legendary military aviator.
The Pioneer on the Flight Line
Paul Lasen was no ordinary aviation enthusiast. As a member of the very first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, he flew over one hundred combat missions during the Vietnam War. Though age restrictions kept him from the commercial airlines afterward, he spent decades commanding large corporate jets, keeping his love for the sky sharp and uncompromised.
Generosity at KTPL
When sudden job loss threatened to derail the project entirely, Paul stepped forward with quiet resolve, funding the remaining eighty-five percent of the build to ensure the dream stayed alive. He purchased the engine, financed the wishlist avionics, and mentored his partner through every long weekend of fiberglass sanding and wiring. Until his passing in 2025, Paul was the heartbeat of Velocity Force One, embodying the true spirit of Texas sport aviation.