American experimental aircraft
Scaled Composites Proteus
The Scaled Composites Model 281 Proteus is a tandem-wing high-altitude long-endurance aircraft designed by Burt Rutan to investigate the use of aircraft as high-altitude telecommunications relays. The Proteus is a multi-mission vehicle able to carry various payloads on a ventral pylon. The Proteus has an extremely efficient design and can orbit a point at over 19,800 m for more than 18 hours. It is currently owned by Northrop Grumman.
Summary from Wikipedia, photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
- Manufacturer
- Scaled Composites
- Country of origin
- United States
- First flight
- 1998-07-26
- Length
- 17.16 m
- Wingspan
- 28 m
Specifications
- Cruise speed
- 190 kt
- Max speed
- 272 kt
- Range
- 1 nm
- Service ceiling
- 61,000 ft
- Rate of climb
- 3,400 ft/min
- Max takeoff weight
- 12,500 lb
- Empty weight
- 5,860 lb
- Fuel capacity
- 1 US gal
- Powerplant
- 2 × Williams FJ44-2 turbofans
- Engines
- 2
- Seats
- 2
- Length
- 56 ft
- Wingspan
- 77 ft
- Height
- 17 ft
- Number built
- 1
Specifications are approximate and may vary by variant. Compiled from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Reference and training only. Specifications vary by variant — consult the manufacturer and the official documents.