The Craft of Providing Variety in Airplanes

Miles and Rutan found a way to master diversification in their designs.

Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 08:47 AM ET

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In one of his books, German novelist W.G. Sebald describes the mesmerizing sight of the familiar constellations overhead. [iStock]

Key Takeaways:

The article uses W.G. Sebald's novel *Austerlitz* to introduce the Miles Gemini aircraft, highlighting how "Cessna" can be a generic term for a private plane in some contexts, and notes discrepancies between fictional portrayals and actual aircraft characteristics.
Frederick George Miles' career is presented as a parallel to Burt Rutan's, emphasizing his innovative and versatile design approach, fast prototyping techniques (using resin-bonded wood), and the significant role of his wife, Maxine, as a business and engineering partner.
Miles' varied portfolio included successful pre-WWII military trainers, the commercially viable Gemini twin, and the advanced M.52 supersonic jet prototype, which featured pioneering designs but was controversially canceled before its potential Mach 1 flight.

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German novelist W.G. Sebald liked to salt his fiction with photographs. They illustrated his scenes so well that I had to wonder whether he staged the photos to match his text or shaped his story to match photos he happened to have.

In one of his books, Austerlitz, the title character goes flying at night with pilot friend Gerald Fitzpatrick in a “Cessna.” He describes the mesmerizing sight of the familiar constellations overhead. Now, looking up at the stars from an airplane is an entrancing experience, but no one ever had it in a Cessna.

Peter Garrison

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.