Scaled Composites, LLC

#OTD the Model 143 Triumph made its first flight in 1988!   Triumph was an 8500-lb, 41,000-ft capable, pressurized 8-seat corporate aircraft designed around the then-unflown Williams International FJ-44 turbofan engine. The test program included over 100 hours of flight test to confirm the performance and operating characteristics of both the engine and airplane.   Today, Triumph is on display at the Joe Davies Airpark in Palmdale, CA.   #FirstFlightFridays #businessjet #enginetest #flighttest

The Bell Eagle Eye tilt-rotor UAV first flew on July 10, 1993 – this demonstrator was developed to validate and refine basic flying qualities and performance characteristics of a small-scale tiltrotor with the potential for future applications to VTOL UAV missions.   #FirstFlightFridays #UAV #VTOL

Happy Independence Day! Can you name the aircraft tails each of these flags waves on? #4thofJuly  

Did you know that when SpaceShipOne and White Knight were on the way to #OshkoshAirVenture in 2005, Burt Rutan hopped into SpaceShipOne for his first flight aboard and arrived at OSH in style? During that year’s AirVenture, kids were able to touch the tail boom of the little spacecraft and it was delivered to the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution shortly after, where it now lives on display. #FirstFlightFridays #eaa2005 #BurtRutan EAA

Today marks twenty years since SpaceShipOne was released from underneath White Knight and Mike Melvill rocketed up into space to in the first privately funded spaceflight. Join us to look back at SpaceShipOne’s historic spaceflight: https://lnkd.in/g7KpXQmd #FirstFlightFridays #OTD #PrivateSpaceFlight #Astronaut #SpaceShipOne #20thanniversary #space

The experimental aircraft Scaled develops can require unique preparations for flight test such as novel paperwork or airfield operation requests. With SpaceShipOne as its test program progressed, Scaled worked with the FAA to obtain the first ever launch license for a suborbital manned rocket prior to the second powered flight and in the preparations for the first space flight we worked with Mojave Air and Space Port to support the spectators that were invited to witness the attempt – over 27,000 people from around the world arrived to see the historic moment!   #FirstFlightFridays #FlightTest #FlightPreparations

Did you know that less than 100 people have flown in Proteus since it first flew in July of 1998? One more was added to the number earlier this year when Guy Norris of Aviation Week Network joined us for a high-altitude flight to demonstrate the uniqueness of the aircraft, its capabilities, and the differences when flying at high altitude. We welcomed him into the club with a sudden rain shower after landing, as is tradition for the first time someone flies in one of our experimental aircraft! It was a delight to deep dive into what the aircraft is capable of – read more on what it is like to fly in Proteus here: https://lnkd.in/gHdTWVRH #FlightTest #FlyHigh #HighAltitude

While best known as the mother ship for SpaceShipOne, White Knight continued to fly missions after delivering SpaceShipOne to the Smithsonian in 2005! The pylon that used to carry a spaceship had multiple payloads integrated onto it in the following years, one of which was the X-37. In 2006, White Knight conducted captive carry missions carrying the X-37 which concluded in drop tests – the first of which happened on April 7, 2006.   Learn more about White Knight: https://bit.ly/ScaledWK #FirstFlightFridays #PayloadTesting #DropTest #FlightTest

Scaled recently talked with Guy Norris at Aviation Week Network, sharing insight into how we approach the development of new aircraft demonstrators on a short schedule. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/gur-6aVg

The TAA-1 made its first flight on May 31st, 2002 - this little aircraft was flown to explore the possibility of Toyota entering the small aircraft market!   #FirstFlightFridays #OTD #Toyota