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engine, and many other detail changes, was shown at
Oshkosh in July 1976 and plans were offered for sale. Approximately 2000 aircraft were under construction by 1980, with about 300 flying by late 1980. Ultimately more VariEzes and Long-EZs (a derivative, slightly larger design) were constructed than
249:
The design's stall resistance did not appear to translate to a lower accident rate than for other homebuilts; a review of the NTSB database from 1976 to 2005 shows 130 total accidents and 46 fatal accidents out of a fleet of about 800 (691 registered in 2005). Precise comparisons are difficult,
204:/spin and efficient long range cruise; these goals were achieved. The use of a canard configuration allowed a stall-resistant design, at the price of somewhat increased takeoff and landing speeds and distances relative to a similar conventional design with effective
260:
retracts and the nose rests on the ground. Referred to as kneeling, this eases access to the cockpit. Resting the nose on the ground also prevents the plane from tipping onto its rear when the pilot's seat is unoccupied.
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piloted it to an under 500 kg class distance record of 1,638 miles (2,636 km). Rutan believed that by engaging in a program of breaking class records he could further fine-tune the design.
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The aircraft was so popular at
Oshkosh that Rutan redesigned the aircraft so that it could be sold as a set of plans. A second prototype, the Model 33, N4EZ, built using a larger wing, a
177:, began in 1974. The first prototype, designated Model 31 and registered N7EZ, first flew on May 21, 1975 after four months of construction. This aircraft used a
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The VariEze is subject to a 2.5g positive, 1.5g negative, maximum load factor limit applied after the discovery of problems with some VariEze wings.
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and other, larger cabin canard aircraft. The VariEze is notable for popularizing the canard configuration and moldless
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Work on the VariEze design, which grew out of Rutan's experience designing and building the
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on some examples) was added to alleviate this problem and rudder travel was reduced.
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Challenge aircraft efficiency prize briefly was Gary
Hertzler, set using a VariEze.
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any other homebuilt type of the time. The sale of plans ceased in 1985.
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Rutan's stated goals for the design included reduced susceptibility to
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850 mi (1,370 km, 740 nmi) at econ cruise
365:
165 mph (266 km/h, 143 kn) (econ cruise)
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195 mph (314 km/h, 169 kn) (max cruise)
544:
National Air and Space Museum VariEze Kit
Components
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502:(RAF inspection service bulletin), Cozy builders
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242:. An outer wing leading edge droop (and later
181:conversion. Three months later it was shown at
165:composite construction for homebuilt aircraft.
631:
532:National Air and Space Museum VariEze history
8:
1482:(vice president/general manager, test pilot)
647:Rutan Aircraft Factory and Scaled Composites
371:55.5 mph (89.3 km/h, 48.2 kn)
1494:(director of flight operations, test pilot)
849:
638:
624:
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234:While the airplane was resistant to pitch
31:
27:Homebuilt aircraft designed by Burt Rutan
273:Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83.
571:Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83
412:
7:
306:22 ft 2.5 in (6.77 m)
215:The prototypes flew originally with
1520:1970s United States sport aircraft
312:53.6 sq ft (4.98 m)
300:14 ft 2 in (4.27 m)
25:
573:. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1982.
231:after a few aircraft were built.
604:
383:1,600 ft/min (8.1 m/s)
344:engine, 100 hp (75 kW)
256:In lieu of a parking brake, the
40:
1545:Single-engined pusher aircraft
825:Rocketcraft (as subcontractor)
1:
556:December 2004 EZ of the Month
1550:Aircraft first flown in 1975
1500:(SpaceShipOne sole investor)
743:Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer
721:Aircraft (as subcontractor)
324:1,050 lb (476 kg)
153:. It is a high-performance
1566:
590:Rutan Technology in Europe
996:Mojave Aerospace Ventures
986:
585:Getting 45 MPG at 207 MPH
435:"Rutan VariEze Prototype"
424:Taylor 1982, pp. 564–565.
318:580 lb (263 kg)
39:
767:Technology demonstrators
561:October 7, 2011, at the
68:United States of America
909:Spirit of Steve Fossett
655:Aircraft (main designs)
649:aircraft and spacecraft
279:General characteristics
219:on the canard for both
832:McDonnell Douglas DC-X
549:April 9, 2010, at the
537:April 2, 2011, at the
524:"Flying the VariEze",
134:
126:
80:Rutan Aircraft Factory
1488:(manager, test pilot)
991:The Spaceship Company
613:at Wikimedia Commons
149:aircraft designed by
132:
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593:Flight International
437:. Air venture museum
208:. The holder of the
846:Spaceflight program
393:Related development
322:Max takeoff weight:
133:Langley wind tunnel
49:General information
1530:Homebuilt aircraft
1470:(former president)
568:Taylor, John W. R.
155:homebuilt aircraft
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58:Homebuilt aircraft
1540:Mid-wing aircraft
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748:Williams V-Jet II
609:Media related to
338:Continental O-200
194:Continental O-200
179:Volkswagen engine
119:
118:
16:(Redirected from
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927:Stratolaunch Roc
894:White Knight Two
865:White Knight One
853:Programs / Ships
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461:, archived from
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563:Wayback Machine
551:Wayback Machine
539:Wayback Machine
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479:Aviation query
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837:Rotary Rocket
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611:Rutan VariEze
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579:0-7106-0748-2
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569:
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528:, April 1978.
527:
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496:Canard pusher
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363:Cruise speed:
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316:Empty weight:
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139:Rutan VariEze
131:
125:On the ground
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19:
1486:Brian Binnie
1480:Mike Melvill
1476:(test pilot)
1040:
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908:
900:
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876:
870:SpaceShipTwo
860:SpaceShipOne
738:Toyota TAA-1
666:
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592:
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526:Air Progress
525:
506:February 20,
504:, retrieved
495:
489:
478:
472:
463:the original
457:
451:
439:. Retrieved
429:
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380:
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369:Stall speed:
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115:May 21, 1975
112:First flight
99:Number built
75:Manufacturer
29:
441:December 5,
350:Performance
334:Powerplant:
294:1 passenger
163:glass cloth
102:400+ (1982)
1514:Categories
1498:Paul Allen
1468:Doug Shane
1462:Burt Rutan
877:Enterprise
812:(uncrewed)
806:(uncrewed)
692:Pond Racer
662:VariViggen
519:References
310:Wing area:
236:departures
187:Dick Rutan
175:VariViggen
151:Burt Rutan
92:Burt Rutan
1464:(founder)
810:Model 396
804:Model 395
728:Adam A500
712:Model 401
697:Boomerang
342:flat-four
304:Wingspan:
292:Capacity:
270:Data from
258:nosewheel
244:vortilons
202:departure
143:composite
946:Tier One
559:Archived
547:Archived
535:Archived
388:See also
229:ailerons
169:Overview
87:Designer
939:flights
816:Vantage
799:Triumph
794:Grizzly
789:Catbird
702:Proteus
687:Voyager
682:Long-EZ
677:Defiant
672:Quickie
667:VariEze
399:Long-EZ
298:Length:
217:elevons
183:Oshkosh
159:Long-EZ
107:History
35:VariEze
18:VariEze
577:
482:, NTSB
375:Range:
185:where
147:canard
886:Unity
784:BiPod
500:(PDF)
407:Notes
286:Crew:
221:pitch
206:flaps
141:is a
907:VMS
899:VMS
884:VSS
875:VSS
779:ATTT
774:ARES
753:X-38
595:1976
575:ISBN
508:2010
443:2010
336:1 ×
225:roll
223:and
210:CAFE
137:The
54:Type
1446:406
1441:401
1436:400
1431:396
1426:395
1421:375
1416:372
1411:367
1406:355
1401:351
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1391:346
1386:344
1381:343
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1371:341
1366:340
1361:339
1356:333
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1336:313
1331:311
1326:309
1321:302
1316:301
1311:300
1306:287
1301:281
1296:276
1291:271
1286:260
1281:257
1276:254
1271:247
1266:241
1261:233
1256:231
1251:226
1246:206
1241:205
1236:202
1231:191
1226:181
1221:179
1216:175
1211:173
1206:170
1201:169
1196:165
1191:164
1186:163
1181:158
1176:151
1171:144
1166:143
1161:133
1156:126
1151:120
1146:115
976:17P
971:16P
966:15P
961:14P
956:13P
951:11P
901:Eve
1516::
1141:97
1136:91
1131:89
1126:81
1121:79
1116:78
1111:77
1106:76
1101:74
1096:73
1091:72
1086:70
1081:68
1076:61
1071:59
1066:58
1061:54
1056:49
1051:40
1046:35
1041:33
1036:32
1031:31
1026:28
1021:27
415:^
145:,
1016:1
880:†
639:e
632:t
625:v
581:.
511:.
484:.
467:.
445:.
288:1
20:)
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