N514RS Starship Beechcraft from the front
About a month ago, I challenged myself to fly on a Beechcraft Starship and I have secured a ride! I get goose bumps just thinking about it.
I have been very surprised how many people have emailed me with suggestions and personal stories of the Beechcraft Starship. There truly is a great following and people love this plane. I thought I might be one of the biggest fans out there, but I might have some competition for that title.
Shortly after my first post I started getting emails suggesting I contact the same person: Robert Scherer. He owns Starship NC-51 (N514RS). He also bought left over Starship parts and runs Starfleet Support (no, not a Star Trek thing), which provides parts to the remaining flyable aircraft. I was also told that Scherer is a pretty cool guy and has a genuine love for the Starship. My readers were right!
NC-51 - Primary chase for Scaled Composites' Tier One Program. How cool.
I tracked down his contact information and sent over an email. He replied that he would be more than happy to help me out in my quest. AWESOME (I know I use that word a lot, but I REALLY mean it this time)!
NC-51 is one cool Starship. It has been used as the chase plane for Spaceship One, White Knight 2, and is even signed by Burt Rutan (the father of the Starship – click that link, pic of Rutan at the door of NC-51).
Scherer is based out of Aspen, CO (ASE) and routinely flies over to Orange, CA (SNA). I have been invited to go with him on one of his flights in the next few months.
When he flies this route, he leaves ASE and heads to Meeker (EEO) for cheap gas. This is a low level, 15 minute flight over some beautiful terrain. Then he goes around 34,000 feet to fly from EEO-SNA. Want to see what the first leg of the flight looks like? Scherer has a video of one of his flights from ASE to EEO. Um…yes please.
N514RS ready for take off from Mojave, CA
This blog has given me quite a few amazing opportunities since I started it in July 2008, but I have to say this one excites me the most. You can be sure there will be lots of video, photos and Tweets from this wonderful experience.
A HUGE thanks to Robert Scherer for giving me and my readers this great opportunity!
OTHER MEDIA:
* See Scherer talk about the Starship on History Channel’s Boneyard
* Video of NC-51 cockpit
* If this professional video of NC-51 doesn’t gives you goose bumps, you aren’t a true Starship fan
* Cockpit night landing of NC-21 into Austin, TX
* See what happened to every Starship
My Quest to Ride on a Beechcraft Starship:
IDEA | CONNECT | TOUR | FLIGHT-PLAN | FAIL | FLIGHT | PHOTOS | VIDEO
WOW! When is the flight?
Robert and I will be working out the date, but he said I have a guaranteed ride!
David
I own 2 of the starships without engines and am looking to sell them asap. let me know if anyone is interested.
Did you sell you 2 starships without engines?
I own 2 of the starships without engines and am looking to sell them asap. let me know if anyone is interested.
Are they still for sale?
Thanks
James
me****@ya***.com
The above post says…
=I own 2 of the starships without engines and am looking to sell them asap. let me know if anyone is interested=.
Are they still for sale?
Thanks
James
me****@ya***.com
When I lived in New Hope, Texas in the early 90’s, I was standing in my yard when I heard a strange sound and looked up. To my surprise two Beech Starshps flew in formation at low level over the house. Goose bumps didn’t just pop out, they sprang up. They were so beautiful flying into the evening setting sun. Over the next several days they made several fly overs. Due to the events of the time, I was never able to make it to the airport to get a closer look at the aircraft and in 1994 moved to British Columbia Canada.
I forgot about them.
I had followed the progress of the Starship from day one and feel Beech made a major mistake in not continuing with it’s marketing. There are so many Canard aircraft now, but none as beautiful as the Starship.
Now, many years later and living in Canada, I was watching a cable TV program called Air Dogs and their quest to fly a Canard. The Starship was the premiere aircraft and my dreams were rekindled. I too would like to fly in the right seat of one; left would be better but what the heck.
When you get all of the data together, please let us know so that I can start putting my pennies together.
Tony
Wow, what an experience to see two Starships flying over at the same time!
I know there is one hanging in the Future of Flight that could be made airworthy. I told them I have dibs if I win the lotto 🙂
David
Congratulations on getting that Starship ride. I’ve heard stories about Don Scherer and he’s a helluva guy with a ton and a half of passion for the Starship.
One of the most beautiful aviation scenes of my life came in the early 1990s when I was finishing up college in Texas and headed up to Portland, Oregon to visit my parents who were living there at the time. I had come in on one of America West’s redeyes and after landing just after sunrise, we were holding short of one of the runways to head to the terminal. From my window seat looking east with the sun rising over Mount Hood, a Beech Starship taxied out onto the runway and took off. A fabulous scene of wonderment for me as ever since I was kid, the Starship was one of my favorite planes and by and large, it still is.
I look forward to your postings on the experience!
Hey Mark!
Thanks for your comments. The Starship looks great in photos, but she is more amazing in person. I haven’t heard her engines start up yet, but I am very much looking forward to it!
David
Hey Mark!
Thanks for your comments. The Starship looks great in photos, but she is more amazing in person. I haven’t heard her engines start up yet, but I am very much looking forward to it!
David
There is a plane sitting by the tower here at Plattsburg International (NY) that looks almost like a Starship but without the break at the windscreen. Looks like the hull tapers to the tip of the nose. Any idea what it might be???? Looks much uglier than a Starship. Does Bombardier make something? Lots of Bombardier work goes on here.
A lot of people confuse the Piaggio P.180 with the Starship: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaggio_P.180_Avanti
David
I live in San Antonio, TX and have seen Starships fly over the house several times, although not within the past few years. They have a very distinctive sound, for sure.
There’s a Beechcraft mx facility at SAT, so I’ve seen them on the tarmac there also…although again, not lately.
I am a retired Raytheon Aircraft Pilot who had the priviledge of being Type Rated (Single Pilot BE-2000S) in the Star Ship and have approx 500 Hrs of flight time in the aircraft. An Aircraft ahead of it’s time. An Aircraft that I will always remember fondly.
Bill Dolan
by any chance are you a MEI?
Greg,
Yes I am an MEI, was an Instructor in the StarShip.
Bill
I own the two starships whoever is trying to get me.
mf*******@gm***.com
The above post says…
=I own 2 of the starships without engines and am looking to sell them asap. let me know if anyone is interested=.
Are they still for sale?
Thanks
James
David,
My sons and I were at Lyon Air Museum at KSNA today. We heard a different-sounding turboprop taking off, spun around and saw a Starship rotate and lift off. We had to use ADSB Exchange to figure out it was N514RS. Love your story of getting a ride in it.
Hey Joe,
Thanks for sharing and cool you were able to look up the Reg and see it was the same one. What a beauty, right? Even many decades later, it is like no aircraft built. Still on my wish list to get one, but my “Starship Fund” is a little short :).
Cheers, David
I spent the afternoon in a hanger with NC-51 (and a couple other of Burt’s designs) yesterday. It’s as beautiful as ever. An amazing airplane.