Aero-Linx!

Scouring the information super airways can sometimes be a tough, if educational, task for the Aero-News staff... but it also allows us to check out some truly neat and exciting sites, so it's not that bad a gig. On any given day, we may check dozens (and often hundreds) of different sources for story ideas, and facts confirmation. And, as is the nature of our business, much of this is done on the Internet.

The ANN gang decided we probably shouldn't keep some of the neat sites, info resources, and organizations we've discovered to ourselves... so we decided to bring you Aero-Linx. These are the sites that WE check out -- when we need added perspective, a new spin on a day's topic... or just want to escape into cyber-aero-space for awhile.

Look for some of our favorite sites, coming each day to ANN via Aero-Linx. Suggestions for future Aero-Linx segments are always welcome, as well.

Aero-Linx: Rutan Aircraft Factory, Inc

In 1974 Burt Rutan left his job at Bede Test Center, moved his family to Mojave, California and started Rutan Aircraft Factory (RAF) in order to develop a non-conventional research aircraft he had designed while still in college-the VariViggen. Through this company, the VariViggen, VariEze, NASA AD-1, Quickie, Defiant, Long-EZ, Grizzly, scaled NGT trainer, Solitaire, Catbird, the Boomerang and the world-flight Voyager aircraft were developed.  Today, 17 years after RAF stopped selling plans for its homebuilt aircraft, the company is staffed by volunteers and is housed in a small office facing the runway on Mojave Airport. While aircraft plans are no longer available to the public, RAF will continue to support, for some limited time, the individuals who have already purchased plans and are in the building process.

FMI: www.rutanaircraft.com/