What airplane would fill this mission?

Chris wrote:

- has at least reasonable short/soft field performance (say 1500=2000'
grass)

The various models use anywhere from 1300' to 1600' of asphalt. If you're
taking a Velocity out of a 2000' grass strip, you're going to have to be
running light.

- is relatively cheap to fly

If you put one of the larger engines in it, it wouldn't be my idea of cheap
to fly.

- if I have to build it, it needs to be "easy"
if you're "lazy" or at a lower skill level, you can get most or all
subassemblies
pre-assembled. Can't get much easier than that.

You still have to do over half the work, and you have to deal with all the
precautions of dealing with glass layup techniques. Might be able to buy a
partially completed kit reasonably, though. From someone who didn't take
those precautions.

The main killer is his "Sport Pilot" requirement. No way a Velocity is going
to come in under 1200 pounds.

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."