Learavia Learfan
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The LearFan turboprop was made of lightweight composite materials instead of the standard aluminum. It also featured an innovative "pusher" design, in which two aircraft engines powered a single spinning propeller blade that faced the rear of the aircraft.
Many years in development, it was not completed before inventor Bill Lear died. He begged his wife, Moya Lear, to finish it, and with the help of investors, she attempted to do so. But the plane never made it into production. The FAA was not concerned about its use of innovative materials; rather it failed to obtain certification because of concerns that even with two engines, the gear mechanism that powered the single propeller might fail. If it did, the plane would crash.
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