 In 1988 Beechcraft sold Scaled Composites to the partnership of Rutan and the Wyman-Gordon Company, who also acquired the rights to a number of the designs, including Model 81 Catbird.The aircraft was stored inverted from the ceiling of Scaled Composites' Mojave hangar until April 2011.The aircraft was restored to flying condition by Zach Reeder, Jim Reed and Mike Melvill.