Burt Rutan, a visionary aeronautical engineer, recently departed Mojave after 36 years, marking the end of an era defined by his relentless innovation in aircraft design.
He pioneered moldless composite construction and unique canard configurations through his Rutan Aircraft Factory (RAF) and later Scaled Composites.
Rutan's career is highlighted by groundbreaking achievements such as the Voyager's unrefueled round-the-world flight and SpaceShipOne's Ansari X-Prize victory, which significantly advanced both aviation and spaceflight.
His legacy is characterized by an unparalleled diversity of ingenious and often unconventional aircraft designs, consistently proving his ability to achieve what others deemed impossible.
On April 3 there was a short e-mail from Dick Rutan to “All.” It said:
Just a note … had a going away lunch at the Voyager Cafe Mojave with Burt and Tonya; after lunch they got in the car and are driving to the new home in Idaho as I write. So they are gone lock stock and barrel from Mojave.
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Peter Garrison taught himself to use a slide rule and tin snips, built an airplane in his backyard, and flew it to Japan. He began contributing to FLYING in 1968, and he continues to share his columns, ""Technicalities"" and ""Aftermath,"" with FLYING readers.
