Rutan Voyager

The Rutan Voyager, conceived and built by aerospace visionary Burt Rutan, became the first aircraft to fly nonstop around the world without refueling. First taking off from Long Beach, California, on December 14, 1986, the twin‑engine, composite‑sponge monoplane completed its 26,000‑mile circumnavigation on December 23, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager. The Voyager’s airframe combined a lightweight carbon‑fiber/foam sandwich structure with a high‑aspect‑ratio wing spanning 110 feet, while its two engines—a Continental O‑200 powering the front and a Continental IO‑360 driving the rear pusher—provided the necessary thrust balance for efficient cruise. Its fuel capacity of 7,000 pounds, stored in the wing, fuselage, and forward pod, allowed the aircraft to sustain 9 days, 3 minutes and 44 seconds aloft. The achievement earned the 1986 Collier Trophy and cemented Burt Rutan’s reputation for pushing the boundaries of aeronautical design. The Voyager’s success demonstrated that advanced composites, unconventional layouts, and meticulous endurance planning could achieve feats once considered impossible, inspiring subsequent experimental aircraft and long‑distance flight projects worldwide. The historic flight also highlighted the potential for fuel‑efficient designs, prompting airlines and manufacturers to explore greener propulsion concepts, and it remains a benchmark in endurance aviation.

Burt Rutan

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