Well-done Rutan and team! The story about his non-stop flight around the planet with Jeanna Yeager was also quite inspiring. That plane had only two reciprocating engines.
As for humility, regarding the world speed record in the atmosphere; I've flown twice with that guy who set the official speed record in the SR-71 (the unofficial record is classified). There is a plaque somewhere at the front of the (Wash.) Dulles Airport terminal about the fast flight. He now flies at .76 Mach on 'steam-gauge' planes, most of which were built in the 60s.
He is a nice, humble guy who quite often visits his aging mother.
