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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
238:
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,
193:/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
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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
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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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however, because of the haphazard nature of data collection and analysis for accidents involving homebuilt airplanes.
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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
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165 mph (266 km/h, 143 kn) (econ cruise)
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195 mph (314 km/h, 169 kn) (max cruise)
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National Air and Space Museum VariEze Kit
Components
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491:(RAF inspection service bulletin), Cozy builders
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231:. An outer wing leading edge droop (and later
170:conversion. Three months later it was shown at
154:composite construction for homebuilt aircraft.
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521:National Air and Space Museum VariEze history
1471:(vice president/general manager, test pilot)
636:Rutan Aircraft Factory and Scaled Composites
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360:55.5 mph (89.3 km/h, 48.2 kn)
1483:(director of flight operations, test pilot)
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223:While the airplane was resistant to pitch
16:Homebuilt aircraft designed by Burt Rutan
262:Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83.
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560:Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83
1501:
608:
295:22 ft 2.5 in (6.77 m)
204:The prototypes flew originally with
13:
1509:1970s United States sport aircraft
301:53.6 sq ft (4.98 m)
289:14 ft 2 in (4.27 m)
14:
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562:. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1982.
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220:after a few aircraft were built.
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372:1,600 ft/min (8.1 m/s)
333:engine, 100 hp (75 kW)
245:In lieu of a parking brake, the
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1534:Single-engined pusher aircraft
814:Rocketcraft (as subcontractor)
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1:
545:December 2004 EZ of the Month
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1539:Aircraft first flown in 1975
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732:Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer
710:Aircraft (as subcontractor)
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313:1,050 lb (476 kg)
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142:. It is a high-performance
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574:Getting 45 MPG at 207 MPH
424:"Rutan VariEze Prototype"
413:Taylor 1982, pp. 564–565.
307:580 lb (263 kg)
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756:Technology demonstrators
550:October 7, 2011, at the
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57:United States of America
898:Spirit of Steve Fossett
644:Aircraft (main designs)
638:aircraft and spacecraft
268:General characteristics
208:on the canard for both
821:McDonnell Douglas DC-X
538:April 9, 2010, at the
526:April 2, 2011, at the
513:"Flying the VariEze",
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69:Rutan Aircraft Factory
1477:(manager, test pilot)
980:The Spaceship Company
602:at Wikimedia Commons
138:aircraft designed by
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582:Flight International
426:. Air venture museum
197:. The holder of the
835:Spaceflight program
382:Related development
311:Max takeoff weight:
122:Langley wind tunnel
38:General information
1519:Homebuilt aircraft
1459:(former president)
557:Taylor, John W. R.
144:homebuilt aircraft
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47:Homebuilt aircraft
1529:Mid-wing aircraft
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598:Media related to
327:Continental O-200
183:Continental O-200
168:Volkswagen engine
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916:Stratolaunch Roc
883:White Knight Two
854:White Knight One
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600:Rutan VariEze
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568:0-7106-0748-2
565:
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517:, April 1978.
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485:Canard pusher
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128:Rutan VariEze
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114:On the ground
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1475:Brian Binnie
1469:Mike Melvill
1465:(test pilot)
1029:
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859:SpaceShipTwo
849:SpaceShipOne
727:Toyota TAA-1
655:
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515:Air Progress
514:
495:February 20,
493:, retrieved
484:
478:
467:
461:
452:the original
446:
440:
428:. Retrieved
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104:May 21, 1975
101:First flight
88:Number built
64:Manufacturer
18:
430:December 5,
339:Performance
323:Powerplant:
283:1 passenger
152:glass cloth
91:400+ (1982)
1503:Categories
1487:Paul Allen
1457:Doug Shane
1451:Burt Rutan
866:Enterprise
801:(uncrewed)
795:(uncrewed)
681:Pond Racer
651:VariViggen
508:References
299:Wing area:
225:departures
176:Dick Rutan
164:VariViggen
140:Burt Rutan
81:Burt Rutan
1453:(founder)
799:Model 396
793:Model 395
717:Adam A500
701:Model 401
686:Boomerang
331:flat-four
293:Wingspan:
281:Capacity:
259:Data from
247:nosewheel
233:vortilons
191:departure
132:composite
935:Tier One
548:Archived
536:Archived
524:Archived
377:See also
218:ailerons
158:Overview
76:Designer
928:flights
805:Vantage
788:Triumph
783:Grizzly
778:Catbird
691:Proteus
676:Voyager
671:Long-EZ
666:Defiant
661:Quickie
656:VariEze
388:Long-EZ
287:Length:
206:elevons
172:Oshkosh
148:Long-EZ
96:History
24:VariEze
566:
471:, NTSB
364:Range:
174:where
136:canard
875:Unity
773:BiPod
489:(PDF)
396:Notes
275:Crew:
210:pitch
195:flaps
130:is a
896:VMS
888:VMS
873:VSS
864:VSS
768:ATTT
763:ARES
742:X-38
584:1976
564:ISBN
497:2010
432:2010
325:1 ×
214:roll
212:and
199:CAFE
126:The
43:Type
1435:406
1430:401
1425:400
1420:396
1415:395
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1400:367
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1260:247
1255:241
1250:233
1245:231
1240:226
1235:206
1230:205
1225:202
1220:191
1215:181
1210:179
1205:175
1200:173
1195:170
1190:169
1185:165
1180:164
1175:163
1170:158
1165:151
1160:144
1155:143
1150:133
1145:126
1140:120
1135:115
965:17P
960:16P
955:15P
950:14P
945:13P
940:11P
890:Eve
1505::
1130:97
1125:91
1120:89
1115:81
1110:79
1105:78
1100:77
1095:76
1090:74
1085:73
1080:72
1075:70
1070:68
1065:61
1060:59
1055:58
1050:54
1045:49
1040:40
1035:35
1030:33
1025:32
1020:31
1015:28
1010:27
404:^
134:,
1005:1
869:†
628:e
621:t
614:v
570:.
500:.
473:.
456:.
434:.
277:1
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