Questions tagged [vtol]

For questions about vehicles capable of vertical take-off and landing.

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11 votes
2 answers
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Can airliners benefit from vertical take-off and landing?

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is one that can hover, take off, and land vertically. We have several military fighter jets, which can takeoff and land vertically (like the Harrier ...
anshabhi's user avatar
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95 votes
15 answers
18k views

Are wings any more efficient at creating lift, versus orienting the engine's thrust downwards?

As I understood from this article, wings on an airplane basically create lift by pushing air down. Maintaining the lift force expends energy because air needs to be continually accelerated downwards. ...
user9037's user avatar
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11 votes
2 answers
3k views

Could a plane land vertically in a strong headwind?

I know there are VTOL craft meant to take off and land with a vertical trajectory. But, under the perfect wind conditions, could a normal airplane ever land (safely) with a vertical or nearly vertical ...
AJMansfield's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
3k views

What are the disadvantages of a Tail providing lift? (tandem-wings included)

Most aircraft feature the tailplane configuration, which requires the main wing to provide higher lift than the weight of the plane itself, what seems counterproductive. Few aircraft have featured ...
zaumo's user avatar
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19 votes
4 answers
11k views

Can the V-22 autorotate?

Can tilt-rotors like the V-22 execute an autorotation landing? If so, are the conditions under which that would be possible (and survivable) different from a helicopter?
feetwet's user avatar
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16 votes
3 answers
5k views

Why do VTOL aircraft (F-35 or Harrier) have only one engine?

Why do VTOL aircraft (F-35 or Harrier) have only one engine? Is it because it is simpler and less expensive? Or what are the reasons?
R S's user avatar
  • 377
3 votes
2 answers
497 views

Are there planes that can fly without wings? How would a plane be able to fly without wings? [duplicate]

Are there any planes that can fly without wings? How do they produce lift? How do they control the attitude?
Mitchell Thomas White's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
857 views

Why aren't tilting propellers used as an alternative for ailerons or elevators?

I was wondering what are the reasons for not using tilted propellers fixed to ailerons/elevators/elevons? Or even on wings with no control surfaces at all? Wouldn't the 2nd way of thrust vectoring ...
FlegmatoidZoid's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
3k views

What are the reasons why we do not have VTOL commercial airliners? [duplicate]

I understand that there are noise issues, and that there may be an economic case dependent on stage length, but other than that I'm not quite sure why they haven't happened. Is there something ...
Lochie Ferrier's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
224 views

I need some help to understand the rationales behind some STOVL jet designs, especially the Pegasus-Harrier configuration [closed]

In the question:Why do VTOL aircraft (F-35 or Harrier) have only one engine? Aeroailas answered why mature STOVL fighter designs only use one main engine, but did not answer why there are no mature ...
CrystallizedRefresher's user avatar