RAFE July Newsletter: Post-OSH Vibes
- Sandy Rusk
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
We are back from Oshkosh!
AirVenture 2026 gave RAFE another opportunity to put Burt Rutan’s aircraft, ideas, and legacy directly in front of the aviation community.
After months of preparing aircraft, organizing volunteers, developing promo materials, planning presentations, and figuring out how to transport everything to Wisconsin, we made it happen!
Now we are home, catching our breath, sorting through photos, unpacking, following up with new contacts, and talking about what comes next.
The Post-OSH vibes are real.
We are tired, inspired, and more committed than ever to RAFE’s main goal:
Keep These Aircraft Flying!
RAFE Takes on Oshkosh
RAFE spent the week living the dream on EZ Street surrounded by some of the most recognizable and unconventional aircraft in experimental aviation.
Our volunteers welcomed visitors, answered questions, shared RAFE’s mission, introduced people to the aircraft, made new connections, and helped show why Rutan designs continue to attract attention decades after they were created.
Throughout the week, RAFE participated in EAA Radio, Homebuilts in Review, the Future of Rutan Designs Symposium, and our annual meeting and progress report.
It was a busy week, but it gave us the chance to speak directly with builders, pilots, mechanics, aviation leaders, Rutan enthusiasts, and people who had never seen some of these aircraft before.
That is why RAFE goes to Oshkosh.
These aircraft deserve to be seen, discussed, understood, and most importantly, flown.
Conventional Is Overrated
RAFE’s 2026 AirVenture theme was:
Conventional Is Overrated
It was more than a slogan.
It captured exactly what makes Burt Rutan’s designs so memorable. These aircraft challenged traditional thinking, introduced new construction methods, changed the homebuilt aircraft industry, and helped inspire technologies that reached far beyond general aviation.
They look different because they are different.
The theme gave us a fun way to start conversations about canards, composite construction, efficiency, aircraft design, and the history behind RAFE’s fleet.
It also reminded people that aviation moves forward because someone is willing to question the conventional answer.
Based on the number of conversations happening around the aircraft, we would say the message landed.
The Aircraft Did the Talking
RAFE brought some very special aircraft back to AirVenture, including the VariViggen and Solitaire.
These aircraft represent important parts of Burt Rutan’s homebuilt legacy, and keeping them visible and airworthy is something RAFE is extremely proud of.
The Solitaire once again proved that an aircraft does not have to be large, loud, or conventional to draw a crowd.
Visitors stopped to study the design, ask questions, take photos, and learn why this unusual self-launching sailplane remains such an important part of the Rutan story.
The VariViggen gave visitors another look at where Burt Rutan’s homebuilt aircraft journey began and how his early ideas helped lead to the designs that followed. Every question asked around these aircraft creates another opportunity to preserve their history.
The Coming Canard Maintenance Crisis
This year’s Future of Rutan Designs Symposium focused on an issue that affects the entire canard community:
The Coming Canard Maintenance Crisis
Many of these aircraft are now several decades old. At the same time, the number of mechanics and experienced builders familiar with composite canard construction is shrinking.
Preserving the aircraft is only part of the challenge. We must also preserve the knowledge required to inspect, maintain, repair, and safely operate them.
The symposium opened an important conversation about training the next generation, documenting specialized knowledge, connecting aircraft owners with qualified resources, and encouraging more mechanics and aviation students to become involved with experimental composite aircraft.
This is one of the areas where RAFE can make a real difference.
The future of these aircraft depends on more than maintaining airframes. It depends on passing knowledge from one generation to the next.
July Volunteer Spotlight:
Caitlin Lynch
Caitlin is the Pilot Sponsor of the Joe Barnhart LongEZ, N62123, and is RAFE's Safety Officer. She first visited RAFE in November 2023 when she had never seen a Rutan homebuilt in person before. Since then, she's grown to love both the history and flying capabilities of the EZs. Outside of RAFE, Caitlin is a flight controller for the International Space Station and is preparing to enter the Air Force Reserves to fly the B-52 Stratofortress at Barksdale AFB. She values the opportunity to give back to the aviation community as part of RAFE and treasures the privilege of flying such unique airplanes. Someday, she hopes to lead a 4-ship of RAFE airplanes at an airshow.
----- Thank you, Caitlin, for being an amazing volunteer at RAFE!
Help Save the Grizzly
The Rutan Model 72 Grizzly is not just another unconventional airplane. It is a one-of-a-kind tandem-wing STOL research aircraft designed and built by Burt Rutan, and an important part of the history RAFE exists to preserve.
Today, the Grizzly remains grounded as part of EAA’s museum collection. RAFE believes an aircraft this significant deserves the opportunity to be carefully evaluated and, if it can be done safely, returned to the sky.
We are asking EAA to appoint RAFE as caretaker of the Grizzly so our qualified team can perform a complete airworthiness assessment, document its condition, and determine what would be required to safely return N80RA to flight.
Sign the petition. Share it with the aviation community. Help us show that people still care about seeing the Grizzly where it belongs—not forgotten, but preserved, understood, and hopefully flying again.
Because preserving aviation history is important.
Making it fly again is even better.
Help RAFE Save the Grizzly!
Bringing the Momentum Home
AirVenture may be over, but the work does not stop when we leave Oshkosh.
We are now following up with the people and organizations we met, reviewing ideas from the week, organizing photos and video, evaluating what worked, and identifying ways to improve RAFE’s presence next year.
We also need to get back to the regular work of maintaining our aircraft.
RAFE’s regular activity days continue to be:
Monday evenings
Wednesday evenings
Saturdays
There is always something that needs to be done.
Not every job requires a pilot certificate, mechanical experience, or aviation background. We need people who can organize, clean, research, photograph, write, coordinate, fundraise, manage projects, support events, and help keep things moving.
Come out, meet the team, and find your place within RAFE.
RAFE Merch Is Moving Online
We are working on adding a dedicated shop to the RAFE website, making it easier to purchase shirts, hats, patches, pins, and other RAFE merchandise directly from us.
The new store is still under construction, but you do not have to wait to get your RAFE gear.
For now, merchandise is available through our eBay store:
Every purchase helps support RAFE’s aircraft, programs, events, and mission to keep these incredible aircraft flying.
Represent RAFE, support the mission, and remind everyone that Conventional Is Overrated.
Membership Matters
One of the best things about Oshkosh is meeting people who understand why these aircraft matter.
The next step is turning that excitement into involvement.
RAFE membership helps support aircraft preservation, maintenance, education, events, volunteer programs, and the continued operation of the organization.
Membership is only $35 per year.
If you met us at Oshkosh, followed our AirVenture adventures online, or have been looking for a way to become more involved in experimental aviation, now is a great time to join.
If you are already a member, invite another pilot, builder, mechanic, educator, student, or aviation enthusiast to become part of RAFE.
Looking Ahead
Over the next several months, RAFE will continue working to:
Follow up on new relationships and opportunities created at AirVenture
Improve volunteer organization and communication
Expand aircraft preservation and maintenance efforts
Develop canard maintenance and educational programs
Recruit more pilots, builders, mechanics, educators, and volunteers
Strengthen sponsorships and fundraising
Grow membership and strategic partnerships
Prepare for future events and formation activities
Share the Rutan story with a larger audience
Keep these incredible aircraft flying
Oshkosh reminded us how many people care about these aircraft and how important it is to preserve both the airplanes and the knowledge behind them.
We came home with new connections, new ideas, plenty of photos, and even more work to do.
Exactly the way we like it.
Thank you for supporting RAFE and helping us carry the Post-OSH energy into the rest of the year.
Sandy Rusk,
Vice President Aviation Development
Rutan Aircraft Flying Experience