COMPOSITES THROUGH THE YEARS 1964 H-301 Libelle (Dragonfly) composite German glider awarded type certificate in Germany and the United States. 1957 Composite Phoenix sailplane makes first flight in Germany. 1958 Dr. Leo Windecker and wife, Fairfax, begin research on fiberglass/ plastic structures, later patented as Fibaloy. THE TIMELINE above shows the idea of making aircraft out of composite material was not new. The beefy retractable landing gear (below) is said to be overbuilt, adding to the weight of the aircraft. 70 | AOPA PILOT July 2016 1981 First flight of F-117 Nighthawk stealth attack aircraft. December 1969 FAA awards Windecker Eagle I a type certificate, the first under Part 23. 1969 Windecker Research in Midland, Texas, begins flight testing of 285-horsepower Eagle prototype. 1989 Stealth B-2 Spirit bomber flies for the first time. 1975 Burt Rutan's VariEze design flies for first time.