Scaled Composites, LLC

A benefit of working with composites when building aircraft is the ease at which they can be modified – for the ATTT, we learned during flight test with the cruciform tail that we had some aerodynamic deficiencies with the aircraft. The solution? Cut off the tail and modify the aircraft with a Bronco-style tail! ATTT made its first flight with the new tail configuration on April 27, 1989.  #FirstFlightFridays #experimentalflight #flighttest #compositesmanufacturing #composites #DesignBuildTest

One of the fastest full aircraft design/builds Scaled has completed was the M309 Adam – only 7 months from contract to first flight on March 21, 2000! Today this aircraft is on display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. #firstflightfridays #rapiddevelopment #designbuildtest

On behalf of the Melvill family, we’d like to extend an invitation to join us in honoring the storied life of Mike Melvill on Saturday, June 20th from 10am-12pm at the Mojave Air and Space Port’s Stu O Witt Event Center. More information and the link to RSVP can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gic4tVB6 

Scaled Composites honors the brave souls who gave their lives in service to our country. Wishing everyone a safe and happy #MemorialDay.

Back in the late 1980’s, Scaled rapidly built a hard sail for the Stars & Stripes catamaran – the maiden voyage was May 25, 1988! #firstflightfridays #maidenvoyage #catamaran

Scaled is hiring Composite & Aircraft Technicians! We have a lot of exciting aircraft builds happening inside our hangars and we are looking for talented technicians to help make them! Join us for a recruiting night on May 29th, 2-6pm at Bravery Brewing in Lancaster, CA to chat with our team and learn more about the open technician positions. Register for the event here: https://lnkd.in/gaQtGYYC Can’t make it to the event? Apply online at scaled.com/careers

The YFQ-48A Talon Blue recently completed its first taxi test points, completely autonomously – a first for testing at Scaled Composites! This test highlighted Northrop Grumman’s extensive experience in autonomy being leveraged for the YFQ-48A as it commanded itself down the runway for a picture-perfect taxi run.   #autonomy #yfq48a #cca #taxitest #groundtest #getreadytofly #uav

Test is made of many incremental parts when developing a novel aircraft - every step of test from structural and systems testing, ground testing, and then flight testing helps us push the envelope and prove a new aircraft. In the case of SpaceShipOne, one of the many steps towards spaceflight was WhiteKnight carrying the little spaceship up for its first captive carry flight on May 20, 2003! #designbuildtest #flighttest #experimental #stepbystep

In partnership with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Northrop Grumman, Scaled Composites flew the XRQ-73, showcasing the hybrid electric propulsion. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gZ_PSkmC #FlightTest #UAV #SHEPARD #XRQ73

On April 27, 1993, the Model 226 Raptor D-1 took to the skies for its first flight with the interesting visual of a pilot astride it! As a UAV when the technology was still being vetted, Scaled elected to reduce risk by flying with safety pilot who could manually override the flight controls during flight. After envelope expansion was completed, this UAV later flew without the safety pilot! Learn more about Raptor here: https://lnkd.in/grqgVRB8  #FirstFlightFridays #UAV #experimentalflight #flighttest #testpilot