The LongEZ was a scaledup redesign of the VariEze predecessor, allowing for the use of readily available Lycoming aircraft engines instead of the Volkswagenderived engines or hardtofind small Continentals for which the VariEze was designed. Changes from the VariEze included a larger main wing with modified Eppler 1230 airfoil and less sweep, larger strakes containing more fuel and baggage storage, and a slightly wider cabin. The canard uses the same GU255(11)8 airfoil as the VariEze. Plans were offered from 1980 to 1985. There were about 700 FAAregistered LongEZs in the United States in 2005, which had grown to 833 in 2021.

In January 1985, it was announced that plans for a new canard were being offered, to eliminate "rain trim change" that had been experienced by LongEZ pilots.[4] This trim change is usually a nosedown trim change experienced when flying into rain requiring a small aft force on the stick to maintain altitude, which is easily trimmed out, using the bungee trim system. The new canard was designed with the Roncz R1145MS airfoil, which produces considerably more lift than the original GU255(11)8 airfoil. This enabled the new canard to be designed with less span, reducing wetted area and thus drag. The new canard has a negligible rain trim, and rain adds only 2 knots to the stall speed.

The aircraft is designed for fuelefficient longrange flight, with a range of just over 2,000 miles (3,200 km).[5] It can fly for over ten hours and up to 1,600 miles (2,600 km) on 52 gallons (200 liters) of fuel.[6] Equipped with a rearseat fuel tank, a LongEZ flew for 4,800 miles (7,700 kilometers) in December 1979, still, the record for aircraft weighing less than 1000 kg.[7]

The pilot sits in a semireclined seat and controls the LongEZ using a sidestick controller situated on the righthand console. In addition to having an airbrake on the underside, the twin tail's wingtip rudders can be deflected outwards to act as auxiliary airbrakes.[6]

In 1996 Burt Rutan awarded TERF Inc. the job of publishing the plans for the LongEZ and other of his aircraft under The Rutan Aircraft Factory CD ROM Encyclopedia to further assist new builders and maintenance for existing builders.[8][9] Some components for the design are supplied by Aircraft Spruce & Specialty.[10]


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In 1997, Dick Rutan and Mike Melvill flew in convoy around the world in two Rutan LongEZ aircraft that they had built. This "around the world in 80 nights" flight was called The Spirit of EAA Friendship World Tour, and some legs of it lasted for over 14 hours.[11]