In all the decades that I’ve been flying Rutan designs I can count on one hand the number of female pilots I’ve known that fly them. As the demographics of the canard community matured it seemed the only people left flying these airplanes were men with grey hair. So try to imagine the surprise when last year at AirVenture a very young lady walked up to the small crowd gathered around the RAFE airplanes on display and introduced herself by saying “Hi, I’m Rylie and I own a Varieze!”.
Inspired by her father who built a Varieze before she was born, Rylie wanted one but on a college students budget all she could afford was one that needed work, To be ready in time to fly with RAFE in the airshow at Airventure this year she's literally moved into the shop, sleeping on a couch and working 14 hour days
under the mentorship of Robert Harris and the Jetguys along with RAFE volunteer Bob Stevens and others to to get her Varieze ready for the show. It's going to be close, but the she and her Varieze are in the best hands.
As much as Rutan Aircraft flying Experience is about the history of Burt’s designs, it’s really more focused on the future. This is why we annually host a Forum at OSH titled “The Future of Rutan Designs Symposium (This years date is Wednesday July 24, 1pm, Forum Stage 9). We use the airplanes to inspire people to never give up on their dreams. Since this is the 50th anniversary of the Varieze, Rylies dream has become an integral part. In the first issue of our “Meet the Pilots and Planes” series we introduced Ken Swain, probably the most senior Varieze Pilot/Builder/Owner, so now, as a representation of the passing of the baton to the next generation, meet Rylie Remar and her Varieze:
See you at OSH!
Ryszard Zadow
Founder and President, RAFE
Rylies Bio:
Rylie’s first flight was on her 2nd birthday when her dad introduced a whole new world to her. Ever since then, she’s known that she wanted to fly. She spent 2 years at Embry-Riddle earning her bachelors degree as well as her flight certificates and will soon start flight instructing at her home in Poplar Grove, Illinois. Wanting to get more into the maintenance and hands-on side of things, she started looking around to purchase an aircraft. Chuck, Rylie’s father, owned VariEzes and LongEzs, so she knew this would be a perfect airplane for her. Last summer, N64HL went on the market and now, Rylie owns her very own VariEze at 21 years old. It has been getting lots of work put into it over the past few months, but she is determined to get it to EAA Airventure 2024 for the 50th anniversary of the VariEze.
