# Burt Rutan on Reddit (u/Burt_Rutan)

Part of Scientists on Reddit, researched with Autumn (https://www.autumn.ai) from public sources. Updated 2026-11-07. Interactive version: https://www.autumn.ai/resources/scientists-on-reddit/burt-rutan

Burt Rutan: Aerospace engineer who designed SpaceShipOne.

- Reddit account: [u/Burt_Rutan](https://www.reddit.com/user/Burt_Rutan/) (AMA only)
- How we know it's theirs: [The 2016 r/science AMA, posted from this account](https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/53mucs/)
- Where they post, in the records we retrieved: r/science (122)
- Known activity in the posts we found: 2016 to 2016
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Rutan

## Moments

### u/Burt_Rutan in r/science, Sep 20, 2016 · Personal story

Replying to a redditor:

> Mr Rutan: R/C sailplane flier here...There's a story in the radio control sailplane community about you listening with some scepticism to a presentation about the speeds being attained through R/C dynamic soaring. The story goes that when you were given an actual demonstration…

> True story.  A world class RC DS guy came to scaled and gave a presentation.  I stood up and called him a lier, with fake videos (a bit tongue-in-cheek for my employees :-) ).
> I then followed him to a special ridge line hill near palm springs, with a 45-knot wind blowing over the top.  The experience was the most impressive thing I has seen in aviation (even thou I have flown at Mach 2.15 in the Phantom at 35kft and 820 Kt on the deck).

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/53mucs/comment/d7uzmav/ · 38 points as of Nov 7, 2026

### u/Burt_Rutan in r/science, Sep 20, 2016 · Behind the scenes

Replying to a redditor:

> Burt, I am an aerospace engineer for Northrop Grumman, and everyone I talk to here seems so excited to have your company be a part of us. I have two questions if you don't mind: 1) do you think we will see the glider style of spacecraft regain practical use anytime soon? I…

> My original concepts for SS1 were capsules, with high-drag devices for reentry (feathers).  However, an employee reminded me that I was an airplane designer and that parachutes were inherently unreliable.  My focus then led to the invention of the feathering config on ss1.

(Excerpt.)
Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/53mucs/comment/d7uvwgx/ · 81 points as of Nov 7, 2026

### u/Burt_Rutan in r/science, Sep 20, 2016 · Personal story

Replying to a redditor:

> What was the diciest flight you ever made?

> The flat spin in the F-4E at Edwards AFB, 1969.  Piloted by Jerry Gentry, with me in the back seat.  It remains the only flat spin in an F4 that was followed by a normal landing, not a fireball crash.

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/53mucs/comment/d7uza1g/ · 47 points as of Nov 7, 2026

### u/Burt_Rutan in r/science, Sep 20, 2016 · Normal redditor

Replying to a redditor:

> Your airplane and space ship designs are the kinds of things that inspired me as a child and an adult. How is it that you've been able to come up with so many odd and innovative designs for so long? What continues to inspire you and drive you?

> There is nothing else to do in Mojave California.  I lived in that small desert area for 46 years.

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/53mucs/comment/d7v5ipb/ · 17 points as of Nov 7, 2026