Hero Civilian Astronaut Was Man Without Enemies

In May 1978, a 37-year-old machinist and his wife flew their odd-looking homebuilt airplane from Indiana to Mojave, California, to show it to its designer, Burt Rutan.

Rutan, who had founded the Rutan Aircraft Factory (RAF) several years earlier and was now selling plans for VariEzes, looked over the plane, an all-wood canard pusher called a VariViggen, and admired the workmanship. He promptly invited the visitor and his wife to join his little company. They accepted.