A Private Project Rockets to the Top

Re “Private Spaceflight Is a Public Success,” June 22: I suspect Burt Rutan is from another planet -- his spectacular flying machines are truly “out of this world,” and they always meet or exceed expectations, as demonstrated by the remarkable success of SpaceShipOne. I think NASA should hire him to design its new space shuttles.

Dave Kenney

Palos Verdes Estates

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Michael Melvill’s flight in SpaceShipOne is all the more impressive when you consider that, under the Federal Aviation Administration’s “over-60 rule,” enacted through a backroom deal between the FAA and the airlines in the late 1950s when they didn’t want to pay to train their senior pilots on the jets, Melvill would be considered, at 63, too old to fly the smallest commuter airliner -- not that I’m bitter.

Darcy Vernier

Culver City

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What a treat to see Melvill standing atop SpaceShipOne, on the front page of The Times, after the rocket’s triumphant flight into space. Every morning I cringe when I pick up my paper because too often the color photo reflects the ravages of war. It’s great to see that “Yankee ingenuity” is alive and well in our country.

Mike Buettell

Balboa Island