This week, the National Aeronautic Association announced renowned aerospace engineer, Burt Rutan, as this year’s recipient of the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy.
Since 1948, the NAA award has honored one recipient annually for “…significant public service of enduring value to aviation in the United States.”
From his numerous roles as a developer — innovating designs of the Voyager and SpaceShipOne and serving as a project engineer at Edwards Air Force Base — to his extensive leadership — becoming director of development at Bede Aircraft and founding Scaled Composites, LLC — Rutan has pushed aviation forward throughout his career.
“For 40 years Burt has been one of the giants in aerospace development and engineering,” said NAA chairman Jim Albaugh said. “So much of his work has had an impact on aircraft design and performance, and he is very worthy of one of the most important awards in aviation.”
Rutan was also featured in our “51 Heroes of Aviation” gallery here.
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**Or check out “The Awesome Airplanes of Burt Rutan” photo gallery here.
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