1985 Rutan Defiant

Description

RUTAN DEFIANT N38JM — PREMIUM UPDATED CENTERLINE-THRUST TWINFor the buyer looking beyond the conventional piston twin, N38JM offers something genuinely different: Burt Rutan’s remarkably efficient Defiant architecture combined with the presentation and equipment expected of a modern premium aircraft.N38JM has undergone extensive updating and presents with new exterior paint, a custom black leather interior with contrasting red stitching, modern glass avionics and distinctive carbon-fiber detailing.Power is provided by front and rear Lycoming O-360-series engines, giving the Defiant true twin-engine redundancy in a centerline-thrust configuration without the large asymmetric-thrust characteristics associated with a conventional wing-mounted twin.A fresh condition inspection was completed August 15, 2026 at tach 86.0. Both engines received condition inspections including compression checks, spark-plug inspection, Aeroshell W100 service, filter, exhaust, hose and engine-control inspections, followed by satisfactory ground runs with temperatures, pressures and RPM within manufacturer specifications and no leaks found.The airframe inspection included flight-control inspection and lubrication, satisfactory landing-gear retraction testing, hydraulic-system service, wheel-bearing service, brake inspection, battery inspection and ELT function testing. New Airtrac 5x6-6 ply main tires were installed. The aircraft, both engines and both propellers were signed off for safe operation.Lycoming O-360-series engines.The result is a rare combination: an iconic Rutan design, twin-engine capability, excellent efficiency and a level of cosmetic and systems modernization that separates N38JM from the typical legacy experimental aircraft.THE MISSION OF A CERTIFIED TWIN. WITH EXPERIMENTAL EFFICIENCY.Asking $425,000.Complete photo package, detailed firewall-forward photographs and maintenance documentation available to qualified prospective buyers.