Rutan 61 Long-EZ
The Rutan Long-EZ is an American homebuilt aircraft designed by Burt Rutan in the late 1970s, easily recognised by its canard layout: a small foreplane ahead of the main wing, a swept wing with winglets, and a pusher engine behind the two-seat tandem cockpit. Its canard is designed to stall before the main wing does, a safety feature meant to make the aircraft highly resistant to a conventional stall/spin accident. Built from composite materials using plans sold directly to amateur builders, thousands have been completed worldwide, and modified Long-EZs have set distance and endurance records, cementing its reputation as one of the most influential homebuilt designs of its era.
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Did you know?
Easily recognised by its canard layout: a small foreplane ahead of a swept wing with winglets and a pusher prop behind the cockpit.
Specifications
| Length | 5.1 m (17 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Height | 2.3 m (8 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 27,000 ft (8,230 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,750 ft/min (8.9 m/s) |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
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