New Types and Applications of Turbine Engines for Short and Vertical Take-Off

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New Types and Applications of Turbine Engines for Short and Vertical Take-Off

STEPHENSON, JOHN M.

The first-generation powered-lift systems, many already in the hardware phase or flying, consist of rotors, fans, air compressors or hot exhaust jets driven by off-the-shelf turbine engines which were originally designed for propulsion. The engine builders' attention is now turned more closely to new types of powerplant systems designed specifically for lifting various categories of aircraft. This activity will open the way to a revolution in flying as important as anything that has gone before, and lead to shapes and uses of aircraft that can as yet be only dimly foreseen.The paper describes a number of the new powered-lift concepts from the point of view of a turbine engine designer, both for the first-generation 'New Applications' and the long-range development of 'New Types'.Although these developments are needed most urgently to increase the mobility of dispersed military forces, we are not too far from the day when interplant transportation of executives, as well as intercity movements of priority freight, can take place without airfields.