Rutan VariViggen

The Rutan VariViggen is a revolutionary home‑built aircraft created by aerospace visionary Burt Rutan and produced through his Rutan Aircraft Factory in the early 1970s. First flown in 1972, the VariViggen grew out of Rutan’s experimental “VariEze” series, incorporating a distinctive V‑tail and canard configuration that eliminated the conventional horizontal stabilizer. Constructed primarily from composite foam and fiberglass, the aircraft’s lightweight structure and unconventional aerodynamic layout provided exceptional lift‑to‑drag ratios, enabling cruise speeds over 150 mph with a modest 85‑horsepower engine. Its tandem‑seat cockpit offered good visibility and a spacious cabin for a machine of its size. The VariViggen’s design proved that composite materials and innovative control surfaces could yield safe, efficient performance for amateur builders, influencing later Rutan designs such as the Long‑EZ and the iconic Voyager. Though only a few hundred were completed, the aircraft earned an Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) award and remains a celebrated example of how unorthodox engineering can reshape general aviation, inspiring a generation of DIY pilots and engineers. Today, several surviving VariViggens are displayed in aviation museums, and the aircraft’s pioneering use of molded composite skins continues to inform modern light‑sport and experimental designs, underscoring Burt Rutan’s lasting impact on the field.

Rutan Aircraft Factory

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