Page 4 - Aerotech News and Review, December 4, 2020

Remembering First Rocket Powered Air Mail Flight

by Cathy Hansen June 21, 2004. propelled by twin 400-pound thrust
special to Aerotech News With Rutan’s piloting expertise, rocket engines and fueled by isopro-
XCOR’s EZ-Rocket made a record- pyl alcohol and liquid oxygen.
Fifteen years ago, on Dec. 3, 2005, setting point-to-point flight, departing Beginning in 2000, the EZ-Rocket
renowned test and Voyager Aircraft from Mojave Air and Space Port at was built in nine months, from paper
command pilot Dick Rutan rocketed 11:40 a.m. with the twin rocket en- plans to flight, by a highly motivat-
into the history books again by set- gines, and gliding to a touchdown at ed small team under a tight budget.
ting a new aerospace record that was the neighboring airport in California Starting with a Long-EZ that had
certified by National Aeronautic As- City. suffered a hard landing, the airframe
sociation. Stashed onboard the EZ-Rocket was repaired and modified to accom-
Additionally, the Federation Aero- were four pouches of mail from the modate the rocket propulsion system.
nautique Internationale awarded Mojave Post Office to be delivered to The existing firewall was used, and an
Rutan the 2005 Bleriot Medal in rec- California City. This was the first of- extended set of engine cowls added to
ognition of the flight. The award is ficial delivery of U.S. Mail by a rock- contain the propulsion system and to
named after Louis Bleriot, the first et-powered aircraft. move the CG further aft to make up
person to fly across the English Chan- Mike Massee, XCOR graphic art- for the lighter engine set.
nel. ist and photographer, took photos of The rear seat was removed to ac-
“The EZ was the first rocket ve- the flight. commodate the liquid oxygen tank,
hicle to carry U.S. Mail from one Post “We were circling and maneuver- and a pressurized belly tank was
Office to another; all other ‘rocket Photograph by Mike Massee ing a lot in a friend’s Beechcraft Bo- added to contain the fuel.
mail’ was flown just to be flown,” The XCOR EZ-Rocket on its record breaking flight from the Mojave Air and nanza to keep formation with the EZ After a number of static ground
said Randall Clague who was the Space Port to California City, carrying four pouches of mail from the Mojave so I got pretty nauseous,” said Mas- tests, the first flight of the EZ-Rocket
safety officer for XCOR Aerospace, Post Office. This was the first official delivery of U.S. Mail by a rocket-powered see. took place on July 21, 2001, with pi-
and in charge of government liaison. aircraft. It was photographed by Mike Massee from the chase plane, Beechcraft “That flight resulted in the only lot Dick Rutan at the controls. The
“The previous NAA record was a few Bonanza. air-to-air photo I ever got of the EZ- following year, the EZ-Rocket be-
hundred feet, set by an ultralight with Rocket or any other XCOR flight came the first rocket powered aircraft
some hybrid rockets attached. There record for flying around the world, Flying the chase aircraft as Rutan vehicle,” Massee reported. “We were to be given an experimental-exhibi-
was no previous FAI record.” non-stop, unrefueled, in the Voyager lifted off from Mojave’s runway 30 unable to keep up with it under power tion airworthiness certificate by the
The EZ-Rocket, on its 25th flight, aircraft. was America’s First Commercial As- so it’s in glide mode, turning to head FAA, and subsequently performed be-
set the world record for Distance Clague added that this was the first tronaut, Mike Melvill. He was flying to Cal City.” fore the public at the EAA Airventure
Without Landing for its class when rocket-powered, cross country flight his own homebuilt Long EZ. Massee also said, “That was the Airshow in Oshkosh, Wisc., in 2002
it flew 9.94 miles from the Mojave in North America. The maximum al- As everyone knows, Melvill pi- day the original builder of that EZ air and later at the X-Prize Cup event in
Air and Space Port to California City; titude on the flight was 8,500 feet. loted Scaled Composites Space- frame showed up with his family. I New Mexico in 2005.
both in Southern California’s High “We only did the flight after we had ShipOne on its first flight past the think his name was Bill Perry. He was
Desert. verified that Dick could take off from edge of space, becoming the first over the moon to see it being used for In total the EZ-Rocket flew 26
“That was the shortest long- Mojave, fly to Cal City, reject the person to pilot a privately built air- great things.” times. The EZ-Rocket had three pilots
distance record flight ever!” Rutan landing, and return to Mojave without craft into space and making history The EZ-Rocket was a modified during its flying career. The principal
exclaimed. He previously held the relighting the engines,” said Clague. as the first commercial astronaut on Long-EZ homebuilt aircraft that was See EZ-Rocket, Page 5

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