Board of Directors Vote to Incorporate the Names of Burt and Dick Rutan
The Mojave Air and Space Port Board of Directors has voted to incorporate the Rutan name in their title, with specific verbiage to be announced after some brainstorming and approval. The board voted 4 to 0, with President Jim Balentine abstaining from the vote.
The move aims to recognize the efforts of legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan, and his record-setting aviator sibling, Dick Rutan, for their work in putting the facility on the flight-test map. Burt Rutan founded his aircraft factory at the formerly small general aviation airport in Mojave in 1974, beginning his company, Scaled Composites, a few years later. Today the facility is enjoyed by space tourist companies Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship Company, 47 years after Rutan began his work there. The Mojave Space Port has gained a measure of renown across the world as a spot for aviation innovation, invention, and advancement.
Burt Rutan designed a number of aircraft throughout his career, most famously working on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipOne, VariEze, and Long-EZ aircraft among many. Today, he continues his research as a co-founder for local Spaceport resident, The Spaceship Company. His older brother Dick frequently served as test pilot for his designs on their record-breaking flights, thanks to his early Air Force Fighter career.
The airport management brought up the name change in 2019 and surveyed the 104 tenants at the complex to find a mixed response. Only 52 residents responded, with 34% approving of a name change to "Rutan Field", with 54% disapproving. Burt Rutan offers an unusual case study of the influence of the modern, outrage-addicted media sphere in action. Management and members found the idea of honoring a living person too dangerous, opening them up to disagreeable political statements or inappropriate accusations should some fracas arise. General Manager Todd Lindner told the board, “You have to be sure that, once you do that, that you understand the potential ramifications that could come out of it, should something come up."
Other members couched their wariness in more placid terms, one saying that Rutan can't "become a symbol" while alive, that their life's work and stature can only be applied when their story becomes a closed book.
“The risk that we do have in naming a facility after someone before they have passed on is that we haven’t heard the final conversation yet, on what that person had become as a symbol,” said one director.
The vote is a step towards an honorary change, for the time being, but as it stands only signifies some measure of approval. Actual name changes would necessitate rebranding, bureaucracy, and expense, unlike a small token of the region's appreciation of its history. The Board has decided to split the issues regarding the full name change and the Rutan name issuance to be decided separately.
NTSB Final Report: Rutan Long-EZ
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