New Company To Become Leading Innovator In RC Model Aviation Using Burt Rutan’s Famous Designs

A company formed to develop, manufacture and distribute innovative RC (radio controlled) model aircraft, announced today its launch of a Kickstarter campaign to fund the tooling, development and initial production of its first models; Burt Rutan’s epic, award winning SpaceShipOne and White Knight.

The company is RutanRC. Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne, carried aloft by White Knight, rocketed into space to win the Ansari X-Prize for the first privately funded, manned spaceflight. Backed by Microsoft's Paul Allen and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, it cost only a fraction of a NASA launch and amazed everyone with its bold innovation. Five of his radical, visionary designs have landed in the Smithsonian’s collection of aviation milestones.

For the first time, RC enthusiasts can fly the original SpaceShipOne mission, including RC controlled separation of SpaceShipOne from its mother ship, the White Knight, as well as RC controlled “feathering” maneuvers, the technology invented by Burt Rutan for controlled reentry from space. When you deploy the feathering tail, SS1 slows nearly to a stop and glides steeply down. Unfeathering the tail lets the pilot power back to altitude or to land. Able to be flown together or separately and separating on command, the RC pilot will continue to control the ducted fan powered SpaceShipOne while the White Knight glider spirals to a landing.

The WK and SS1 scale replicas will deliver the same radical and revolutionary look as the originals, with the White Knight measuring an impressive 6’ wingspan and the ducted fan SpaceShipOne’s wingspan is 16.5” and 27” nose to tail. Both will be built with durable foam, carbon fiber reinforcement and adhesive stickers mirroring the original. Proposed retail MSRP is $299 for the combo WK and SS1, but this unique combination model is available during the Kickstarter launch for $169.  Product delivery is projected for November, 2015.

As a child, Burt built model aircraft and the hobby became a way for him to learn the science of flight. Now he wants RutanRC to provide new tools to future aero designers. “Model aircraft were an important part of SpaceShipOne development and are used in many levels of testing for aviation and space exploration,” says Rutan. Burt’s goal is to inspire innovation in aeronautics and space through accessible experimentation with models of his unique craft. To accomplish this, he has empowered two superstars of the RC modeling industry to launch RutanRC.

Dan Kreigh worked side by side with Burt Rutan as a Scaled Composites engineer on many Rutan designs, including the original SpaceShipOne, and is a master model builder. Now, he is designing, building, and testing RC model prototypes of them. Dan’s responsibility will be to ensure Burt’s vision is clearly translated into the look and performance of RutanRC’s products.

Jeff Corsiglia led research and development for AirHogs, the largest maker of toy RC aircraft in the world, creating such firsts as HELIX +4. SharpShooter, and many other RC hits. Jeff’s product development, manufacturing and mass market experience will help deliver Burt’s vision and Dan’s model expertise to enthusiast’s hands.

Lastly, Burt Rutan, the man described by Newsweek as "the man responsible for more innovations in modern aviation than any living engineer”, will be an advisor to RutanRC on design and functionality as well as an ongoing source of innovation and inspiration for RutanRC and the community of aviation enthusiasts it will create.

FMI: Kickstarter Campaign, www.rutanrc.com