Rutan Long-EZ (Model 61)

The Rutan Long-EZ is Burt Rutan's Model 61, a tandem two-seat, canard-configured, pusher-propeller composite homebuilt designed at the Rutan Aircraft Factory (RAF) in Mojave and first flown on June 12, 1979. An evolution of the earlier Rutan Model 33 VariEze, it used a longer wingspan, larger main wings, and a bigger strake fuel tank system to produce one of the most fuel-efficient piston singles ever built. Plans were sold by RAF from 1980 to 1985; roughly 700-800 airframes are registered with the FAA, making it the most-built Rutan canard. The Long-EZ became famous for holding the Burt Rutan/Dick Rutan distance record of over 4,800 miles in class and for its distinctive ramp appeal. Owners tend to be engineers, efficiency enthusiasts, and cross-country pilots — the same demographic that gravitated to the later Cozy Mark IV and Berkut 360.

RAF ceased supporting Long-EZ plans after 1985 following the fatal accident of John Denver in a modified Long-EZ, but the design lives on through an active owner community centered on Canard Aviators, Canard Zone, and the Canard Owners and Builders Association.

Major design descendants (separate pages): Rutan Model 33 VariEze (smaller predecessor), Cozy Mark IV (four-seat Nat Puffer derivative), Berkut 360 (faster moldless-to-mold Long-EZ evolution).

Book cruise of 144 KTAS at 75% is achievable and sometimes exceeded — the Long-EZ is genuinely efficient, burning roughly 5-6 GPH at long-range cruise settings and delivering 25+ mpg. The 52-gallon strake fuel capacity combined with low burn produces a legitimate 1,400+ nm still-air range, the basis of its long-distance reputation.

The airplane is fast for its horsepower because of low parasite drag, laminar flow on the canard and main wing, and the pusher configuration that keeps the fuselage in clean air. Service ceiling of 27,000 ft is real (normally aspirated, oxygen required) because the canard stall-limited design maintains control authority at very low indicated airspeeds at altitude.

The canard will not stall in the conventional sense — it reaches a limiting angle of attack and begins gentle pitch bobbing before the main wing ever stalls. This is a safety feature but produces unusually high approach speeds (85-90 KIAS) and long landing rolls that surprise pilots trained on Cessnas. Crosswind handling is limited; the low-slung wingtip rudders and narrow gear track reduce directional authority. Takeoff rotation requires the canard to fly first and runway must be smooth — rough fields and grass are generally discouraged.

Useful load of ~575 lb on a typical O-235 Long-EZ (heavier on an O-320 build with reduced useful load) produces the classic canard payload-range profile:

• Full fuel (312 lb) + pilot (200 lb): Leaves ~63 lb for passenger and baggage — solo or very light passenger only. This is the efficient long-range configuration: 1,400+ nm still-air.
• Two adults (400 lb) + 30 lb strake baggage: Leaves ~145 lb of fuel = ~24 gallons, giving ~650 nm range at 5.2 GPH — still a strong cross-country number for two people.
• Typical mission (two adults, 40 gal fuel, light bags): ~900-1,000 nm range with reserves — genuinely usable coast-to-coast with one fuel stop.
• Limiting factor: Not fuel or power but CG. The canard configuration has a narrow CG envelope and a light passenger or baggage change can push the airplane out of limits. Pilots routinely carry ballast in the nose for solo flight. Pre-flight W&B is mandatory every flight with different loading.

The Long-EZ, more than almost any other two-seat piston, delivers on the promise of efficient two-person transportation — the right pilot with the right mission gets a $45K airplane that rivals a Mooney on fuel burn per nautical mile. See Cross-Country Flying for comparison against certified alternatives.

• Cross-country (9): The Long-EZ's reason for existing. Low burn, high cruise, massive range, high service ceiling, and excellent comfort for two with baggage in the strakes make it arguably the best efficiency-per-dollar touring platform in experimental GA. See Cross-Country Flying.
• Local fun flying (8): Head-turning ramp appeal, unique flying qualities, and excellent visibility from the tandem canopies. It is a joy to fly once you adapt to canard pattern work.
• Business travel (5): Fast and efficient two-place travel, but no IFR certification on most examples, no known-ice capability, and runway limitations keep it from being a serious business tool.
• Surveying (2): Poor — single engine, no hardpoints, difficult to mount sensors, and the pusher prop rules out nose-mounted gear.
• Flight training (1), Backcountry (1), Aerobatics (1), Cargo (1): Disqualified. Experimental amateur-built aircraft may not be used for primary instruction for compensation. The long landing roll, fragile composite belly, and short-coupled nose gear make backcountry strips inadvisable. The airframe is not aerobatic (Rutan explicitly prohibited it). Baggage volume is limited to the strakes.

• Traditional builder panels ($2-5K): Steam gauges, handheld GPS, basic comm — common on older examples.
• Mid-tier experimental ($8-15K): Dynon D10/D100, Garmin GTR 200, uAvionix tailBeacon X for ADS-B Out, basic autopilot servo.
• Modern glass ($20-40K): Dual Dynon SkyView HDX or Garmin G3X Touch, GTN 650Xi, TruTrak or Dynon autopilot, ADS-B In/Out. Experimental category permits these installations at a fraction of certified cost; see Avionics Pricing Reference.
• IFR equipped: Rare but possible with GTN 650Xi + WAAS; limited by lack of known-ice and airframe certification basis. Most owners fly VFR.

Experimental amateur-built aircraft do not use STCs; modifications are at builder/owner discretion. Common mods:

• O-320 repower: +30-40 HP, significantly improved climb and hot/high performance. Requires W&B rework and often a heavier prop.
• Klaus Savier LightSpeed ignition: Electronic ignition replacing one or both magnetos; ~5-8% fuel burn reduction.
• Vance Atkinson carb heat / fuel flow mods: Address known carb ice and fuel starvation issues.
• Wheel pants and NACA inlet tuning: Small speed gains; most builders fit these from the start.
• Roncz canard: Later airfoil redesign that addresses the original GU canard's rain-trim issue (severe pitch-down in rain); strongly recommended for any Long-EZ still flying the original GU canard.
• Winglet rudder upgrades and brake upgrades: Improve ground handling.

Per Maintenance Ecosystem:

• Parts availability (fair): The Lycoming O-235/O-320 is universally supported. Airframe-specific parts (canopy, wheel pants, nose gear hardware) are builder-sourced or fabricated. Aircraft Spruce stocks many Long-EZ materials. No factory parts pipeline — Rutan Aircraft Factory closed in 1985.
• Mechanic familiarity (specialist): Generic A&Ps can handle the Lycoming but the composite airframe, canard rigging, and pusher installation require someone who has touched a Long-EZ. Most owners maintain their own aircraft under experimental rules with a repairman certificate for the original builder; subsequent owners need an A&P willing to sign the condition inspection.
• Annual condition inspection: $500-$1,500 if self-done, $1,500-$3,500 with a canard-savvy A&P.
• Typical annual operating cost: $6,000-$9,000 including fuel (~80 hrs), insurance, hangar, reserves, and inspection.
• Expensive items: Composite repair after damage ($2-10K), canopy replacement ($3-5K), O-235 overhaul ($20-25K), O-320 overhaul ($25-30K), full repaint in structural white ($8-15K).
• Community: Canard Aviators mailing list, Canard Zone forums, Canard Owners and Builders Association, and annual Rough River fly-in are essential resources. This community is the effective "factory support" for the Long-EZ fleet.

Per Aircraft Valuation Methodology, experimental canard valuation weights build quality and airworthiness history over hours and year. Current market (2025-2026):

• Project / needs work: $15,000-$25,000 — incomplete builds, old panels, needs canard or fuel system rework.
• Typical flyer: $35,000-$55,000 — good O-235, mid-era panel, Roncz canard, clean logs. Median asking around $45K.
• Premium example: $60,000-$85,000 — O-320 upgrade, modern Dynon/Garmin panel, recent paint, excellent build reputation, builder-documented history.
• Outliers: Show-quality or famous-provenance examples occasionally exceed $90K but the market is thin.

Value drivers: Roncz canard retrofit (+$5-10K), O-320 vs O-235 (+$8-15K), modern glass panel (+$10-20K), documented builder pedigree (+$5-15K), fresh engine (+$10-15K). Value killers: GU canard, original carbureted O-235 with high time, unknown builder, soft/damaged foam, water intrusion in strakes.

Experimental aircraft do not receive ADs, but RAF-issued Canard Pusher newsletters and community advisories function similarly:

• GU canard rain trim: Original canard airfoil loses significant lift in heavy rain, causing uncommanded pitch-down. Roncz canard retrofit is the accepted fix.
• Fuel system vapor lock and starvation: Long sump lines in hot weather can vapor lock; numerous fatal and non-fatal accidents traced to fuel delivery. Careful plumbing, return lines, and electric boost pumps are community best practice.
• Composite delamination and UV damage: Uncovered or poorly painted airframes suffer epoxy UV degradation. White paint is mandatory structurally (not cosmetic) to keep the foam core below its glass transition temperature.
• Nose gear actuator wear: Manual crank retract system is simple but bushings and gears wear; mis-rigged nose gear is a common pre-buy finding.
• Prop strike from rotation mishandling: Tailstrike-equivalent on a pusher — over-rotation on takeoff or touchdown can strike the prop.
• Builder quality variance: Each Long-EZ is unique. Layup quality, resin ratios, and rigging vary dramatically. A knowledgeable canard pre-buy inspector is essential.

Per GA Insurance Underwriting: the Long-EZ is one of the most insurable experimentals because of the large fleet, solid safety record (when flown within limits), and low hull values. Representative quotes:

• Liability only: $1,200-$1,500/yr for 500-hour pilot with 50 in type.
• Full coverage, $40K hull: $2,500-$3,000/yr for experienced pilot; $1,700 hull-only quoted on $38K hull in community data.
• Low-time pilot transition: Underwriters typically require 10-25 hours dual or supervised solo in type. A canard checkout with an experienced Long-EZ pilot is standard.
• No-hull liability-only is common given the $35-50K hull range — many owners self-insure the hull.

Insurance is cheaper than a comparable Cozy Mark IV because of the lower hull value and single-pilot tandem config.