Home • Awards

EDUCATION

  1. High School graduation, June 1961, Dinuba Joint Union High School.
  2. B.S. Aeronautical Engineering, California Polytechnic University, June, 1965. Third in graduating class.
  3. Space Technology Institute, California Institute of Technology, summer, 1964.
  4. Marketing and Personnel Management graduate level courses, Golden Gate College, 1968.
  5. Academic portion of Aerospace Research Pilots School, Edwards AFB, 1965.
  6. Doctoral of Science, Honorary, Daniel Webster College, 17 May 1987.
  7. Honorary Doctor of Science, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, 13 June 1987.
  8. Doctoral of Humanities, Honorary. Lewis University, 22 May 1988.
  9. Doctoral of Technology, Honorary. Delft University of Technology, 12 January 1990.
  10. Doctoral of Engineering, Honorary. University of Illinois, June 2006.
  11. Honorary Doctoral Degree Free University of Brussels Nov 2007.

AWARDS

  1. Dinuba Dairy Days, First Place Milk drinking, 1956. (12 years old, most milk in 1 minute).
  2. AIAA, First Place National Student Undergraduate Design Award, 1965.
  3. USAF Air Medal (rare award for civilian), 1970.
  4. Stan Dzik Design Contribution Trophy, Oshkosh 1972.
  5. Omni Aviation Safety Trophy, 1973.
  6. EAA Outstanding New Design, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1978.
  7. Dr. August Raspet Award, “Outstanding Contribution to Advancement of Light Aircraft Design”, 1976.
  8. Flying/Business & Commercial Aviation, 1978. “Lifetime Involvement in, and support of General Aviation.”
  9. Western Plastics Exposition, “Pacesetter Award,” 1978.
  10. Press Club of Antelope Valley, “Newsmaker of the Year,” 1980.
  11. Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine, Special Achievement – Laurels for 1981, “Imaginative Ideas for Light, Energy-Efficient Aircraft Design.”
  12. Business and Commercial Aviation magazine, “Most Important Contribution to Aviation during 1984.”
  13. Beechcraft Legion of Honor Distinguished Service, July 11, 1985.
  14. ABC World News Tonight, “Person of the Week,” July 18, 1986.
  15. AIAA, Aircraft Design Certificate of Merit for Starship and Voyager aircraft, October, 1986.
  16. Presidential Citizen’s Medal, Dec 29, 1986, for Mr. Rutan’s design/development of the Voyager ‘round-the-world aircraft. This was the 18th award of the Presidential Citizen’s Medal since its inception in 1969.
  17. FAI Gold Medal for Voyager Construction, 29 Jan, 1987.
  18. “Grand Medaille” de’Aero-Club de France, (Grand Medal Aero Club of France), January 29,1987.
  19. Medal of the City of Paris, January 29, 1987 (Also awarded to Charles Lindbergh in 1927).
  20. The Aero Club of Washington, 1986 Aviation Achievement Award, 24 February, 1987.
  21. NASA Langley Research Center, Directors Award, 24 Feb, 1987.
  22. Society of Plastics Engineers, Award for Unique and Useful Plastic Product, (Voyager), 7 May, 1987.
  23. Society of Plastics Industry, For the Advancement of Composites Voyager Flight, 9 May, 1987.
  24. Society of NASA Flight Surgeons, W. Randolph Lovelace Award, 13 May, 1987.
  25. Academy of Model Aeronautics, Distinguished Service Award, 15 May, 1987.
  26. National Aeronautic Association and National Aviation Club, 1987 Collier Trophy for ingenious design of the Voyager and skillful execution of the first non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world, 15 May, 1987.
  27. Aero Club of New England, Voyager Award, 25 June, 1987.
  28. American Academy of Achievement, Golden Plate America’s Captains of Achievement, 27 June, 1987.
  29. Experimental Aircraft Association and Milwaukee School of Engineering, Medal of Outstanding Achievement and Distinguished Leadership in Aerospace Engineering, 4 Aug, 1987.
  30. Daedalians of Edwards Air Force Base, Citation of Honor, 15 Aug, 1987.
  31. Society of Experimental Test Pilots, 1987 J. H. Doolittle Award for outstanding professional accomplishment in aerospace technology management or engineering, September, 1987.
  32. Aerospace Education Foundation, Air Force Association – Jimmy Doolittle Fellow, 1987.
  33. Gathering of Eagles, Aviation Man of the Year, 17 Sep 1987.
  34. Charles Lindbergh Fund – San Diego Museum, Lindbergh Eagle, 24 Sep, 1987.
  35. National Business Aircraft Association, Meritorious Service, 29 Sep, 1987.
  36. United States Air Force Association, 40th Anniversary Extraordinary Achievement, 1987.
  37. Aero Club of New England Godfrey L. Cabot Award, 1987.
  38. The City of Genoa, Italy, Christopher Columbus International Communications Medal, 12 Oct 87.
  39. Distinguished Achievement Award, International Aerospace Hall of Fame, San Diego, 1987 & 2004.
  40. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Spirit of St. Louis Medal, 16 Dec 87.
  41. Royal Aeronautical Society, British Gold Medal for Aeronautics – outstanding achievement, advancement in aeronautics, Voyager aircraft, December 1987.
  42. Induction into the Wright Brothers First Flight Society Shrine. December 17, 1987.
  43. National Society of Professional Engineers, Engineering Awards Competition, 27 Jan, 1988.
  44. Design News “Engineer of the Year for 1988,” 8 March, 1988.
  45. Franklin Institute, Franklin Medal for 1987, 13 April 1988.
  46. Intellectual Property Owners, Distinguished Inventor Award for 1987, April 14, 1988.
  47. Hawthorne Chamber of Commerce, History of Aviation Award, August 27, 1988.
  48. Western Reserve Aviation Hall of Fame, Meritorious Service Award, 2 Sep, 1988.
  49. The International Aerospace Hall of Fame Honoree, 24 Sep, 1988.
  50. Sailing World Magazine, Medal of Achievement, January, 1989.
  51. Aero Club of Northern California, Crystal Eagle Award, 18 Mar, 1989.
  52. Secretary of the Air Force, Meritorious Service Medal, USAF Scientific Advisory Board, April, 1989.
  53. Member of the National Academy of Engineering, 4 Oct 1989.
  54. Leroy Randle Grumman Medal, outstanding scientific achievement, 4 Oct, 1989.
  55. Professional Pilot Magazine, Star Performer, March, 1990.
  56. Structural Dynamics &. Materials, AIAA, “For innovative contributions to aerospace,” 14 April, 1992.
  57. Wings Over Houston Lloyd P. Nolen Lifetime Achievement in Aviation, 16 Oct, 1993.
  58. Society for the Advancement of Materials and Process Engr, George Lubin Award, 9 May, 1995.
  59. National Aviation Hall of Fame Honoree, 21 July 1995.
  60. SETP Ray E. Tenhoff Award for Most Outstanding Paper, September, 1996.
  61. “Freedom of Flight” award “EAA and aviation, leadership in the design of recreational aircraft,1996.
  62. Cal Poly Engr Medallion “extraordinary leadership and commitment in Aero E Department”. April, 1997.
  63. Chrysler Award for Innovation in Design, 1 October, 1997.
  64. EAA Homebuilders Hall of Fame, 23 October, 1998.
  65. MBA Ltd Sir James Martin Memorial Trophy, 1998.
  66. Professional Pilot Magazine, Aviation Designer of the Year Award, 13 March 1999.
  67. Proteus Aircraft included in the list of the “100 Best of the Century”, Time Magazine, April, 1999.
  68. Clarence L. “Kelly” Johnson “Skunk Works” award, “To honor and perpetuate Kelly Johnson’s qualities, accomplishments, standards and model of excellence February 2000.
  69. 2000 Lindbergh Award presented by the Lindbergh Foundation for a shared vision of a balance between technological advancement and environmental preservation, May 20, 2000.
  70. The 2001 J.H. “Jud” Hall Composites Manufacturing Award, Composites SME, Feb, 2001.
  71. Reed Aeronautics Award AIAA“In recognition aircraft that challenge conventional wisdom, May 9, 2001.
  72. Laurel Legend Award, Aviation Week AWST Hall of Fame, April 16, 2002.
  73. “100 Stars of Aerospace” (ranked 29th) presented by Aviation Week & Space Technology. Received award in Paris at Salle Wagram, June, 2003.
  74. Popular Science “Best Of What’s New”, for SpaceShipOne, 2003.
  75. “Business Leader in Aerospace” presented by Scientific American for designing a reusable sub-orbital passenger spacecraft. 2003.
  76. Space Frontier Foundation “Vision To Reality” Award, 2004.
  77. ACMD Composites Hall of Fame Honors, 2004.
  78. Academy of Model Aerodynamics Model Aviation Hall of Fame.
  79. Society of Experimental Test Pilots, “2004 J. H. Doolittle Award for aerospace technology management or engineering,” September, 2004. (First to receive the Doolittle twice).
  80. Society of Flight Test Engineers Kelly Johnson Award, September 2004.
  81. Ansari $10M X Prize (Shared with SpaceShipOne team and Paul Allen). For repeated private manned space flights, 4 October, 2004.
  82. State of Texas Honorary Texan, October 28, 2004.
  83. Charles A and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation – The Lindbergh Medal. November 6, 2004.
  84. Damiano Colombo Meilano, Coniarioni d’ Arte, 2004.
  85. Wired Magazine’s “Rave Award” for Industrial Design, 22 Feb, 2005.
  86. International Academy of Science Distinguished Fellow of Science, 2005.
  87. Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s “Current Year Achievement Award”, 9 March, 2005.
  88. Aviation Week and Space Technology 2004 Laurel Legend Award, March, 2005.
  89. Inc. Magazine – Entrepreneur of the Year. 2004.
  90. The Living Legends of Aviation Awards. “Academy Awards of Aviation.”
  91. Peabody award for Discovery’s Two Black Sky documentaries 2004.
  92. The Explorers Club Medal, March 19, 2005.
  93. “Scientist of the Year” award by Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS), 15 April, 2005.
  94. Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World”, 18 April, 2005.
  95. “2004 Robert J. Collier Trophy” – presented by National Aeronautic Administration, 2005. (2nd Collier Trophy awarded to Rutan. Two others have multiple Colliers: Glenn Curtis and Kelly Johnson).
  96. National Space Society Werner von Braun Memorial Trophy, May, 2005.
  97. International Von Karman Wings Award, May, 2005.
  98. California Polytechnic State University President’s Medal of Excellence, September, 2005.
  99. Popular Mechanics 2006 Breakthrough Leadership Award, October 4, 2006.
  100. Howard Hughes Memorial Award, 27th Recipient, 26 Jan 2006.
  101. Cooper-Hewitt 2005 National Design Award, Presented at White House by Laura Bush, July 2006.
  102. Asthma & Allergy Foundation, Walk of Fame Award. Breath of Life Ball, 2006.
  103. AIAA Space Transportation George Low Award, September 2006.
  104. 21st Century of Flight Distinguished Award, San Diego Air & Space Museum Foundation, 2006.
  105. AIAA Engineer of the Year, 2007.
  106. National Space Society’s Robert A Heinlein Memorial Award, 2008.
  107. Lifetime Achievement Award, Pasadena Art Center College of Design, 2009.
  108. 2009 Stanley Hiller Jr – Intrepid Pioneer Award, Oct, 2009.
  109. Antelope Valley Press, “Business Person of the Year”, 2010.
  110. Antelope Valley Board of Trade “Navigating Change Award”, 2011.
  111. Tribute to Burt Rutan at EAA’s AirVenture, Oshkosh Wisconsin, 2011.
  112. FlightGlobal’s Lifetime Achievement Award, 2011.
  113. Guggenheim Board of Award’s – 2011 Daniel Guggenheim Medal.
  114. Living Legends Bob Hoover 2011 Freedom of Flight trophy, January, 2012.
  115. National Air & Space Museum, Lifetime Achievement award, March, 2012.
  116. Guggenheim Award, AIAA. Regan Building, DC, May 9, 2012.
  117. Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame induction. Bird Museum, September 29, 2012.
  118. Lifetime Achievement, Palm Springs Air Museum, February 8, 2013.
  119. Bob Hoover Hall of Honor (one of nine Hoover’s Heroes) Paramount studios, February 21, 2014.
  120. International Space Hall of Fame induction. NM Museum of Space History, October 18, 2014.
  121. California Aviation Hall of Fame induction. Santa Monica Museum of Flying, April 25, 2015.
  122. NAA Wright Brother’s Trophy. Aero Club of Washington Dinner, December 15, 2015.
  123. Idaho Tech Council Hall of Fame induction. Boise, Idaho, October 24, 2017.
  124. Reason Foundation Savas award for Privatization, November 8, 2019.
  125. AOPA Bob Hoover Trophy, Feb 3rd, 2021.
  126. ASME Ralph Coats Roe Medal. May, 2021.

PATENTS

  1. Grizzly wide-chord flap suspension system, U.S. Patent Number 4,614,320.
  2. Variable geometry high lift system incorporated in the Beech Starship, U.S. Patent Number 4,641,800.
  3. Rutan Model 115 Starship configuration, U.S. Patent Number Des. 292,393.
  4. U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/458,296, filed March 28, 2003.
  5. U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/458,697, filed March 28, 2003.
  6. Patent Cooperation Treaty Application US2004/009694, “Unitized Hybrid Rocket System,” March, 2004.
  7. Patent Cooperation Treaty Application PCT/US2004/009695, “Winged Spacecraft,” March 29, 2004.
  8. Pressure-Equalizing Cradle for Booster Rocket Mounting. 07/18/2013. 13/944,971.
  9. Dynamic Tow Maneuver Orbital Launch Technique. 06/11/2013. 13/914,744.