Mojave, California-based Scaled Composites, which was founded by famed aircraft engineering visionary Burt Rutan who retired in 2011, this week conducted the first flight of an experimental airplane named Model 401. The airplane was designed for a “proprietary customer.” The proof-of-concept features sharper angles than we’re used to seeing on the wings and vertical tail sections and one goal of the experimental design is to help modernize and reduce the cost of manufacturing techniques. The customer commissioned two of these airplanes.
Scaled Composites Completes First Flight of Secretive Experimental
Key Takeaways:
- Scaled Composites successfully conducted the first flight of its experimental Model 401 airplane, designed for a proprietary customer.
- The aircraft features unique sharp angles and aims to modernize manufacturing techniques while reducing costs.
- Key specifications include identical 38-foot wingspan and length, three hours of endurance, and a Pratt & Whitney jet engine enabling speeds up to Mach 0.6.
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