Quietly Left Scaled Composites April 1st

There are five of his airplanes hanging in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. One of them flew around the world on one tank of gas. One was the first non-government-built spacecraft to fly to the very fringe of space ... twice.

Burt Rutan, arguably a genius and the man behind such notable and varied designs as Voyager, Ansari X-Prize winner SpaceShipOne, and the VariEze, retired from Scaled Composites on April Fool's Day after a career spanning more than 45 years.

Rutan founded Scaled in 1982, and remains as chairman emeritus. He will be feted at AirVenture at Oshkosh this summer. “Burt is known worldwide as a legendary genius in aircraft design in the aviation world. I am very fortunate and proud to have worked by his side for the past 28 years,” said Scaled Composites President Douglas B. Shane when the plans were announced last November. “We wish Burt and his wife, Tonya, the very best the future holds for them.”

The LA Times reports that Rutan has developed 367 different aircraft concepts, and 45 of them have flown ... one for every year of his career. Rutan is known for not following traditional aircraft designs, working instead to think outside the ordinary to see what would work.

Burt and Tonya Rutan reportedly will move to Coeur d'Alen, Idaho, for their retirement.

FMI: www.scaled.com