Rutan Voyager

On December 23, 1986, Voyager completed the first nonstop, non-refueled flight around the world. Voyager, a unique aircraft constructed almost entirely of lightweight graphite-honeycomb composite materials and laden with fuel, lifted from Edwards AFB, California at 8:01:44 a.m., Pacific Standard Time, on Dec. 14 1986, and returned 9 days later at 8:05:28 a.m., Pacific Standard Time on Dec. 23, 1986. For their record-breaking flight, the pilots, Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, the designer, Burt Rutan, and the crew chief, Bruce Evans, earned the Collier Trophy, aviation's most prestigious award.Voyager is the result of six years of design, construction, and development by a talented team of individuals. The aircraft was designed by Burt Rutan, Dick's brother, a well-known designer of homebuilt airplanes such as the VariViggen and VariEze and corporate aircraft such as the Beech Starship. Voyager was constructed in 18 months by Dick Rutan, Jeana Yeager, and Bruce Evans.