can anyone ID this craft?

i took this photo 2007 july while camping with my family on our property in an extremely remote area of central utah. this plane was incredibly loud. can anyone shed some light?

I've no idea what that is. It reminds me of a Romulan warship...and looks about as real.

Horrible, horrible square pixellation around the "craft" which I believe, and bearing in mind I am no expert in these things, indicates a sloppy cut and paste jobby. Again, this is my opinion, to which I am entitled.

I eagerly await Internos, JRitzman or Olegkvasha to evaluate this offering. They are experts, and I would put money on they come to the same conclusion.

Edit to add: to view these pixels, (which will undoubtedly be described as a perfectly captured plasma tension field or something) simply copy to your comp and zoom in. I would upload a cropped image, but I'm too tired.

I am not a debunker, I have a strong and unshakeable belief that there are unknown craft traversing our skies, and view each and every offering on these boards with an open mind.

This one just screams fake, but I admit I could be wrong.

[edit on 7-3-2008 by Beamish]

Rutan UltraLight X civi plane, featuring rear prop. Long EZ or variant thereof





Probably flying to Salt Lake/ Saint George etc.

Anyways its an experimental X class general aviation plane.


[edit on 7-3-2008 by robertfenix]

[edit on 7-3-2008 by robertfenix]

[edit on 7-3-2008 by robertfenix]

reply to post by robertfenix


i think your right, i was looking for pictures of UAVS and UCAVS.
i didn't find any that look like that.

[edit on 7-3-2008 by miguelbmx]

[edit on 7-3-2008 by miguelbmx]

reply to post by robertfenix


your pics match, makes sense. thank you.

That is a canard or cannard (sp?) style airplane. I would put money on it.
Ask Burt Rutan about these. There is a man locally who flies one of these
where I live, and it looks exactly like this picture.


ZOOMER

[edit on 7-3-2008 by ZOOMER]

reply to post by robertfenix


Thats pretty close but how do you explain the protrusion on the top? That is not on your picture. Well we will see when the experts come in to check this one out!

Absolutely agree this could be a rear prop. But what is causing the pixellation? Am I the only one seeing it?

There is no protrusion on top. You are looking at the plane from
underneath. Also the airplane is tilted to one side. It is not flying
level. You are simply seeing the "front" wing which is a lot shorter
than the rear wing. That is a typical cannard style.

ZOOMER

I blew the plane up so you could see the pixilation that is occurring in this picture. Sorry for the poor quality, I'm at work and only have Paint available to me.

Looks FAKE to me. Crappy cut and paste job by someone. When you zoom in the rest of the picture stays clear, except the the object and a square section around it. I think its fake... just my 2cents

[edit on 7-3-2008 by Brain2100cc]

geez, "mystery" solved its a Rutan EZ, umm kay...

its not faked or a hoax or some UAV drone secretly spying on the OP.


Its just an "not normal" civilian plane going about its business.

The aircraft in the images is know as a Beechcraft Starship. One was use as a chase plane. When Starship one was tested. It kind of does look like a Klingon Vor'cha class attack cruiser. But otherwise it is a Beechcraft Starship.

[edit on 7-3-2008 by kennethmd]

I put the two possibles together with the mystery craft.

I'd go with the Rutan UltraLight X out of those two as the cannards are straight.

I would say you are correct on the Starship. I was wrong about the
cannard style as it is indeed a straightwing craft. Thinks for pointing
that out. I was close though, wasn't I?

ZOOMER

This looks like a Beachcraft Starship, because of the front swept cannard. These aircraft had a variable geometry cannard. In normal flight the cannard is swept back, but in landing configuration, (gear Down) the cannard is swept forward to reduce the possibality of stall. Good photo, where did you get it?


Starship 1

Originally posted by Warlon
This looks like a Beachcraft Starship, because of the front swept cannard. These aircraft had a variable geometry cannard.

Ahh variable cannard eh? Teach me to do a bit more reading wont it?

If you mean my photo I just used google images

Not a problem, I grew up on a civilian Airport that had an Air Guard base on it. Father was in crash fire-fighting for 20+ years and I have been flying since I was able to reach the stick/yoke. Nice to meet you.

considering there are only 5 flying airframes still around 1 operated out of Washington, 1 in California (Scaled Composites) and the other 3 in OK and midwest I would say that it being a Starship is a little low on the probability compared to an EZ.

Originally posted by robertfenix
considering there are only 5 flying airframes still around 1 operated out of Washington, 1 in California (Scaled Composites) and the other 3 in OK and midwest I would say that it being a Starship is a little low on the probability compared to an EZ.

Ture that the probability is low but not impossable. The Starship is the only cannard aircraft that has a front cannard that is forward swept. All EZ's and there varients (the Velocity, Long EZ, etc.) all either have a straght cannard (easier for homebuilders to build) or rear swept cannards. Also if you look at the original photo you can make out the motor housing on the side near the photographer, it is on the wing, also you can make-out 2 propeller arcs. The only twin engine cannard flying in the US is the Starship.