Founded in 1982 by Burt Rutan, Scaled has broad experience in air vehicle design, tooling and manufacturing, specialty composite structure design, analysis and fabrication, and developmental flight tests of air and space vehicles.
Founder/Chairman Emeritus
Special Projects
Model 97 is a two-place, side-by-side airplane of the 300 lb empty weight class. It has a slightly swept-back canard forward and swept back wings with winglets at the tips.
A subscale version of an eleven-place, twin turboprop, high-performance business aircraft developed for Beech Aircraft Corporation.
The Model 133-4.62 ATTT proof-of-concept demonstrator is a 62% scaled version of an airplane designed to challenging STOL and long range requirements.
The all-composite Triumph, an 8,500 lb, pressurized 8-place business aircraft, was designed around the brand-new, never flown, Williams FJ-44 turbofan engine.
Scaled did the structural design, tooling, fabrication, and static testing of an 85 ft span and a 108 ft span rigid sail/airfoil for the America’s Cup Challenge Race.
The ARES, Scaled Model 151, was designed initially in response to a U.S. Army request for a Low Cost Battlefield Attack Aircraft (LCBAA).
The Advanced Engineering Staff of General Motors designed a technology demonstration vehicle called the Ultralite, an automobile with interior room capable of seating four full size adults, and with excellent visibility, handling, performance, emissions and fuel consumption.
The Raptor Demonstrator high-altitude, long endurance, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program was conducted under a contract from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to Scaled Composites, LLC.
In early 1993, Jim Rice and Tom Stark of the fledgling VisionAire Corporation visited Scaled with conceptual designs for a new single-engine business jet.
Walled Lake, Michigan, June 23, 1997 -- Williams International today announced that its all-composite, turbofan- powered "V-JET II" light aircraft is on schedule for its July 31 fly-in and follow-on demonstration flights and exhibition at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) convention at Oshkosh, July 30 to August 5, 1997.
Proteus is a twin-turbofan, high-altitude, multi-mission aircraft powered by Williams International FJ44-2E engines.
The Model 309 is a proof-of-concept aircraft built for Adam Aircraft Industries.
The GlobalFlyer is a single seat, turbofan powered airplane designed to fly around the world nonstop, unrefueled, with a solo pilot.
SpaceShipOne, the first private manned spacecraft, is a three-place, high-altitude research rocket.
White Knight is a three-place, high-altitude, flexible and capable research aircraft.
The Model 326 aircraft (or Pegasus X-47A) is an unmanned aerial vehicle built for Northrop Grumman.
SpaceShipTwo will be powered by a unique hybrid rocket motor, which is currently under development.
WhiteKnightTwo, or Eve, is the mothership and launch platform for SpaceShipTwo.
Firebird is an optionally-piloted intelligence-gathering aircraft system.
BiPod is a hybrid gasoline-electric roadable aircraft.
Stratolaunch is a mobile launch system with three primary components.
SpaceShipTwo
SpaceShipTwo is the prototype for the world's first commercial manned spaceship, destined to take private astronauts into space and paving the way for space transportation.
WhiteKnightTwo
Utilizing an open-architecture design and powered by four Pratt & Whitney turbofans, WhiteKnightTwo provides the high-altitude launch platform for SpaceShipTwo to achieve sub-orbital flight.
Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer
This record-breaking, single-place, aviation marvel features two external booms flanking a center pod where the pilot sits, on top of which is the aircraft's powerhouse, a Williams turbofan jet engine.
SpaceShipOne
SpaceShipOne, the first private manned spacecraft, is a three-place, high-altitude research rocket, designed for sub-orbital flights at an altitude of 100 km and powered by a unique hybrid rocket motor.
White Knight
Initially developed to provide a launch platform at 50,000 ft for SpaceShipOne, White Knight is a three-place, high-altitude, flexible and capable research aircraft.
SpaceShipTwo Test Summaries
| Flight Test Legend: | GF = Glide Flight P = Powered Flight GC = Aborted Glide Flight |
| Flight: | 115 / PF01 | ||
| Date: | 29 Apr 13 | ||
| Flight Time: | 13 min | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Alsbury |
| GS Crew: | Tighe, Shane, Bourgeois, Reid, Knupp, Bassett, Jaster, Bozarth, Gould, Colby, Zeeb, Morgan, Verderame, Keller, Cassebeer, Kalogiannis, Withrow, Kroese, Flynn |
Objectives:
First powered flight Launch weight expansion Supersonic aero expansion (16 sec burn) q structural expansion
Results:
Monday we “lit the candle” for the first time. SS2 control and handling was very positive during its first supersonic, rocket-powered flight. The motor operated as designed and provided a strong, yet surprisingly smooth, acceleration through the sound barrier. The boost was terminated at the intended shutdown duration of 16 seconds. Trajectory was nominal with Mike & Mark topping out at 1.3 Mach and 56,200 feet. Post shutdown glide was nominal. The vehicle and the team performed as expected – excellent! We'd like to thank our team, our many vendors, and the support of Virgin for making today a possibility. The fun has only just begun!
| Flight: | 114 / CF01 | ||
| Date: | 12 Apr 13 | ||
| Flight Time: | 10.8 min | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Alsbury |
| GS Crew: | Tighe, Bourgeois, Reid, Knupp, Bassett, Jaster, Verderame, Keller, Cassebeer, Zeeb, Morgan, Gould, Colby, Kroese, Flynn, Shane |
Objectives:
In flight nitrous vent test Launch weight expansion PF01 mission rehearsal
Results:
Objectives complete.
| Flight: | 113 / GF24 | ||
| Date: | 03 Apr 13 | ||
| Flight Time: | 9 min | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Nichols |
| GS Crew: | Tighe, Bourgeois, Glaser, Knupp, Bassett, Jaster, Bozarth, Verderame, Keller, Cassebeer, Zeeb, Gould, Colby, Withrow, Kroese |
Objectives:
In flight nitrous vent test (on pylon) Feather flight
Results:
Objectives complete.
| Flight: | 109 / GF23 | ||
| Date: | 19 Dec 12 | ||
| Flight Time: | 13 min, 24 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Alsbury |
| GS Crew: | Bourgeois, Glaser, Knupp, Bassett, Kalogiannis, Jaster, Zeeb, Gould, Binnie, Cassebeer, M. Fuchs, Verderame, Tighe, Withrow, Kroese |
Objectives:
SS2 performance Stability and control with new shortened aft skirt Installed rocket motor systems and nozzle Wing/strake Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) PIO susceptibility evaluation with different flight control modes
Results:
Aero performance slightly better than expected and no negative issues identified. No PIO tendencies noted in loose formation flight. First co-pilot landing – congratulations Mike!
| Flight: | 93 / GF22 | ||
| Date: | 11 Aug 12 | ||
| Flight Time: | 8 min, 2 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Binnie |
| GS Crew: | Mackay, Jaster, Bozarth, Verderame, Cassebeer, M. Fuchs, Bourgeois, Glaser, Tighe, Bassett |
Objectives:
Maximum glide flight mach and airspeed envelope expansion Horizontal tail load expansion
Results:
All objectives achieved. With this latest round of six flights we have cleared the full glide-flight envelope for airspeed, angle-of-attack, CG, and structural loads!
| Flight: | 92 / GF21 | ||
| Date: | 07 Aug 12 | ||
| Flight Time: | 9 min, 52 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot: | Colmer |
| GS Crew: | Tighe, Bourgeois, Knupp, Bassett, Inks, Verderame, Kalogiannis, M. Fuchs, Glaser |
Objectives:
Aft CG angle-of-attack expansion Aft CG feather expansion Heavy weight, aft CG landing
Results:
All objectives achieved.
| Flight: | 91 / GF20 | ||
| Date: | 02 Aug 12 | ||
| Flight Time: | 8 min | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Nichols |
| GS Crew: | Binnie, Verderame, Kalogiannis, Bourgeois, Knupp, Tighe, Cassebeer, M. Fuchs |
Objectives:
Feathered strake evaluation Evaluate elevon dampers and rudder locks Forward CG landing
Results:
All objectives achieved.
| Flight: | 90 / GF19 | ||
| Date: | 18 Jul 12 | ||
| Flight Time: | 10 min, 39 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot: | Nichols |
| GS Crew: | Binnie, Kalogiannis, Jaster, Verderame, Cassebeer, M. Fuchs, Bassett, Knupp, Reid, Bourgeois |
Objectives:
Aft CG S&C strake evaluation Airspeed expansion Heavy weight landing
Results:
All objectives achieved.
| Flight: | 88 / GF18 | ||
| Date: | 29 Jun 12 | ||
| Flight Time | 13 min | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot | Mackay |
| GS Crew: | Tighe, Bassett, Knupp, Bourgeois, Jaster, Bozarth, Cassebeer, M. Fuchs, Verderame |
Objectives:
Strake evaluation
Pilot familiarization
Results:
All objectives achieved.
| Flight: | 87 / GF17 | ||
| Date: | 26 Jun 12 | ||
| Flight Time | 11 min, 22 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot | Alsbury |
| GS Crew: | Tighe, Bassett, Knupp, Bourgeois, Glaser, Jaster, Bozarth, Cassebeer, M. Fuchs, Verderame, Nichols |
Objectives:
SS2 control surface flutter data collection
SS2 aero stability and control validation
RCS airborne functional test
Speed brake check
Frequency sweeps without dampers
Results:
All objectives achieved. Great return to flight!
| Flight: | SS2 Taxi 03 | ||
| Date: | 01 Jun 12 | ||
| Time | 3 hr on runway | ||
| Crew (Runs 01-02): | Siebold / Nichols / Mackay | ||
| Crew (Run 03) | Alsbury / Siebold / Mackay | ||
| Crew (Run 04): | Mackay / Siebold / Alsbury | ||
Objectives:
Condition and evaluate the decelerating performance with the new higher capacity brakes.
Results:
We performed four tests from 30 to 65 mph with three different pilots. All objectives were achieved.
| Flight: | 73 / GF16 | ||
| Date: | 29 Sep 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 7 min, 15 sec | ||||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot | Nichols | SS2 FTE: | Persall |
| GS Crew: | Alsbury, Verderame, Kalogiannis, Vannoy, Glaser, Reid, Inks, Tighe, Bassett |
Objectives:
Post maintenance functional check flight
Clean release
Evaluate stability and control
Flutter expansion
Previous flutter point validation
Increased weight landing (using water ballast)
Pilot proficiency
Results:
Test card called for releasing the Spaceship from WhiteKnightTwo and immediately entering a rapid descent. Upon release, the Spaceship experienced a downward pitch rate that caused a stall of the tails. The crew followed procedure, selecting the feather mode to revert to a benign condition. The crew then defeathered and had a nominal return to base. Great flying by the team and good demo of feather system.
| Flight: | 68 / GF15 | ||
| Date: | 27 Jun 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 7 min, 39 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot | Binnie |
| GS Crew: | Tighe, Bassett, Inks, Verderame, Persall, Knupp, Zeitlin, Reid |
Objectives:
Continued airspeed flutter susceptibility envelope expansion
Results:
All objectives achieved. Dynamic pressure envelope further expanded.
| Flight: | 67 / GF14 | ||
| Date: | 23 Jun 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 7 min, 33 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot | Nichols |
| GS Crew: | Tighe, Verderame, Persall, Bassett, Glaser, Reid, Knupp, Inks | ||
Objectives:
Continued mach and airspeed flutter susceptibility envelope expansion
Results:
All objectives achieved.
| Flight: | 66 / GF13 | ||
| Date: | 21 Jun 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 8 min, 55 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot: | Nichols |
| GS Crew: | Tighe, Persall, Verderame, Bassett, Glaser, Reid, Knupp, Inks |
Objectives:
Continued flutter susceptibility envelope expansion
Results:
All objectives achieved.
| Flight: | 65 / GF12 | ||
| Date: | 15 Jun 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 10 min, 32 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Nichols |
| GS Crew: | Bassett, Reid, Glaser, Binnie, Keller, Tighe, Inks, Kelley, Bozarth |
Objectives:
Continued flutter susceptibility envelope expansion
Results:
All objectives achieved. Second flight in 24 hours!
| Flight: | 64 / GF11 | ||
| Date: | 14 Jun 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 13 min, 18 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot: | Shane |
| GS Crew: | Nichols, Bassett, Kalogiannis, Reid, Glaser, Keller, Tighe, Inks |
Objectives:
Flutter susceptibility envelope expansion
Results:
All objectives achieved.
| Flight: | 61 / GF10 | ||
| Date: | 25 May 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 10 min, 14 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Binnie |
| GS Crew: | Nichols, Verderame, Bassett, Bozarth, Persall, Glaser, Inks, Tighe |
Objectives:
Second feather flight Evaluate feather configuration stability with nose strakes installed Low altitude flutter envelope expansion Shortened runway approach and landing validation
Results:
All objectives achieved. Much improved longitudinal dynamics in the feather configuration.
| Flight: | 60 / GF09 | ||
| Date: | 19 May 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 11 min, 32 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot: | Binnie |
| GS Crew: | Alsbury, Kalogiannis, Bassett, Reid, Glaser, Verderame, Tighe, Persall, Inks |
Objectives:
Flutter susceptibility envelope expansion
Results:
All objectives achieved.
| Flight: | 59 / GF08 | ||
| Date: | 10 May 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 13 min, 2 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Shane |
| GS Crew: | Alsbury, Tighe, Verderame, Persall, Bozarth, Reid, Glaser, Knupp, Inks |
Objectives:
Flutter susceptibility testing Pilot proficiency
Results:
All objectives achieved.
| Flight: | 58 / GF07 | ||
| Date: | 04 May 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 11 min, 5 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot: | Nichols |
| GS Crew: | Binnie, Tighe, Bassett, Verderame, Kalogiannis, Persall, Zeitlin, Glaser, Knupp, Cassebeer |
Objectives:
Feather evaluation Evaluate stability and control Flutter susceptibility testing Pilot proficiency
Results:
All objectives achieved....Awesome flight!
| Flight: | 57 / GF06 | ||
| Date: | 27 Apr 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 16 min, 7 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Alsbury |
| GS Crew: | Binnie, Kelley, Bassett, Tighe, Reid, Glaser, Inks, Verderame, Maisler, Knupp |
Objectives:
Evaluate stability and control Continued flutter envelope expansion Pilot proficiency
Results:
Clean release at desired altitude. Glide test objectives complete without issues.
| Flight: | 56 / GF05 | ||
| Date: | 22 Apr 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 14 min, 31 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot: | Shane |
| GS Crew: | Binnie, Kelley, Bassett, Tighe, Reid, Keller, Verderame, Maisler, Zeitlin |
Objectives:
Clean release Evaluate stability and control Continued flutter envelope expansion Pilot proficiency
Results:
Clean release at desired altitude. Glide test objectives complete without issues.
| Flight: | 47 / GF04 | ||
| Date: | 13 Jan 11 | ||
| Flight Time | 11 min, 34 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Nichols |
| GS Crew: | Binnie, Kalogiannis, Verderame, Maisler, Persall, Bassett, Zeitlin, Reid, Tighe, Inks |
Objectives:
Clean release Evaluate stability and control Stall expansion Continued flutter envelope expansion Aft CG expansion with water ballast tank Window heater evaluation Pilot proficiency
Results:
All objectives achieved. Stall at aft CG. Evaluated flutter modifications to 250 KEAS. Envelope expanded to 3.8 g's. As part of the test objectives, the SS2 pilots vented water ballast just before coming in to land, which produced a visible contrail.
| Flight: | 45 / GF03 | ||
| Date: | 17 Nov 10 | ||
| Flight Time | 11 min, 39 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot: | Nichols |
| GS Crew: | Binnie, Persall, Knupp, Inks, Bassett, Y. Fuchs, Maisler, Verderame, Zeitlin |
Objectives:
Clean release Evaluate stability and control Stall expansion Expand flutter envelope Aft CG expansion with water ballast tank Pilot proficiency
Results:
All objectives achieved. Flew to a more aggressive stall indication. Expanded envelope to 246 KEAS and 3.5 g's.
| Flight: | 44 / GF02 | ||
| Date: | 28 Oct 10 | ||
| Flight Time | 10 min, 51 sec | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Stucky | SS2 CoPilot: | Alsbury |
| GS Crew: | Binnie, Kalogiannis, Persall, Knupp, Inks, Bassett, Cassebeer, Story, Y. Fuchs, Maisler, Verderame, Kelley |
Objectives:
Clean release Evaluate stability and control Expand flutter envelope Roll evaluation
Results:
All objectives achieved. Flew to more aggressive stall indication. Evaluated handling and stability through several maneuvers. Expanded envelope to 230 KEAS and 3g's. Roll evaluation. Full stop landing.
| Flight: | 41 / GF01 | ||
| Date: | 10 Oct 10 | ||
| Flight Time | 13 min | ||
| SS2 Pilot: | Siebold | SS2 CoPilot: | Alsbury |
| GS Crew: | Binnie, Tighe, Bassett, Verderame, Keller, Kelley, Maisler, Knupp, Y. Fuchs, Moody, Inks |
Objectives:
Clean release Evaluate stability and control Expand flutter envelope Evaluate performance Land
Results:
All objectives achieved. Very positive and controllable release from mothership at 46,000 ft. Slowed to first stall indication. Pilots evaluated the handling and stability through several maneuvers. Expanded envelope to 180 KEAS and 2g's. Evaluated performance with speed brake in and out. Full stop landing executed to the target aim point. Great flying airplane (spaceplane). We'd like to thank our team and all at Virgin who've enabled us to get back in the low aspect ratio glider business.
| Test: | SS2 Taxi 01 | ||
| Date: | 14 Jun 10 | ||
| Time | 3 hr on runway |
| Crew (Runs 01-04): | Siebold / Nichols |
| Crew (Run 05) | Stucky / Nichols |
Results:
Monday was a great milestone for the team. We performed five tests from 25 to 60 mph with two different pilots. All objectives were achieved. They were: condition the brakes and evaluate the landing gear/brake steering/skid shoe performance and general ground handling. The vehicle performed as expected and we're excited to move into the manned phase of the test program.
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