The Scaled Composites Triumph was a twin-engine, business jet prototype designed and built by Burt Rutan

Burt Rutan

Elbert Leander "Burt" Rutan is an American aerospace engineer noted for his originality in designing light, strong, unusual-looking, energy-efficient aircraft...

's Scaled Composites

Scaled Composites

Scaled Composites is an aerospace company founded by Burt Rutan and currently owned by Northrop Grumman that is located at the Mojave Spaceport, Mojave, California, United States...

 for Beechcraft

Beechcraft

Beechcraft is an American manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. Previously a division of Raytheon, it has been a brand of Hawker Beechcraft since 2006....

. It was known officially as the Model 143, and internally at Scaled as the "Tuna".

Originally, three versions of the all-composite aircraft were envisioned, one powered by piston engines, one by turboprops and one by turbofans. The only one built was the turbofan version, which was first aircraft to be powered by the Williams International

Williams International

Williams International is a manufacturer of small gas turbine engines based in Walled Lake, Michigan, United States. It produces jet engines for cruise missiles and small jet-powered aircraft.- History :...

 FJ-44

Williams FJ44

-External links:*...

 engine. The maiden flight took place at the Mojave Airport

Mojave Spaceport

thumb|right|235px|A retired [[Boeing 767-200]] that flew for [[Ansett Australia]] being cut open for scrap at Mojave AirportThe Mojave Air and Space Port , also known as the Civilian Aerospace Test Center, is located in Mojave, California, at an elevation of...

 on July 12, 1988. The aircraft had a distinctive appearance, with both a canard

Canard (aeronautics)

In aeronautics, canard is an airframe configuration of fixed-wing aircraft in which the forward surface is smaller than the rearward, the former being known as the "canard", while the latter is the main wing...

 and a standard horizontal stabilizer in a T-tail

T-tail

thumb|right|Grob motor gliderA T-tail is an aircraft tail stabilizer configuration in which the horizontal surfaces are mounted to the top of the vertical stabilizer. Traditionally, the horizontal control surfaces are mounted to the fuselage at the base of the vertical stabilizer...

 configuration.

The design did not make it into production with Beechcraft. After the aircraft's test program was completed, the airframe was mounted on a pedestal at Scaled's Mojave facility for several years before being moved to the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at Palmdale

Palmdale, California

Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...

 Plant 42

Plant 42

Air Force Plant 42 is a federally owned military aerospace facility under the control of the Air Force Material Command in Palmdale, California...

http://www.palmdaleairpark.com.

Specifications

• Crew: 1
• Passengers: 7
• Gross Weight: 8500 lb (3,855.5 kg)
• Ceiling: 41000 feet (12,496.8 m)
• Cruise speed: 400 knots (783.9 km/h)