- Powered lift
A powered lift (also written powered-lift) is a type of
aircraft that can take off and land vertically but functions differently than ahelicopter in horizontal flight.Definition
In the
United States , theFederal Aviation Administration (FAA) has designated seven categories of aircraft:
*Airplane
*Rotorcraft
*Glider
*Lighter-Than-Air
*Powered-Lift
*Powered parachute
*Weight-shift-controlThe FAA defines "powered-lift" as:::"a heavier-than-air aircraft capable of vertical takeoff, vertical landing, and low speed flight that depends principally on engine-driven lift devices or engine thrust for lift during these flight regimes and on nonrotating airfoil(s) for lift during horizontal flight." [ [http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgFAR.nsf/0/7b29c0ffce0c430a86256edf00478339?OpenDocument Federal Aviation Regulations Part 1] on www.faa.gov]
The first powered-lift ratings to be issued by the FAA on a civilian pilot certificate were on
21 August 1997 , to pilots Tom Macdonald ofBell Helicopter /Boeing , William Leonard and Martin Shubert of Bell Helicopter, William Norton and Steve Grohsmeyer of Boeing, and Lt. Col. John Rudzis, Maj. Kevin Gross, and Capt. William Witzig of theUnited States Marine Corps . [ [http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/1997/news_release_970821a.html news release] "Osprey Pilots Receive First FAA Powered Lift Ratings" dated21 August 1997 at www.boeing.com]Aircraft models
Many powered lift aircraft have been tested but very few have been mass-produced. They differ in their means of achieving vertical takeoff and landing.
*The
V-22 Osprey usesaerodynamic lift (the aircraft is kept in the air by rotors; seeaerodynamics ).
*TheHarrier Jump Jet family usesthrust vectoring (rising off the ground by use of vertical thrust)."See related article:
Aircraft#Categories and classification ."V-22 Osprey
The
V-22 Osprey byBell Helicopter /Boeing , a twin-enginetiltrotor design that has two turbine-powered engines driving three-bladed rotors. The rotors function similar to a helicopter in vertical flight, and similar to an airplane in forward flight. The aircraft first flew on19 March 1989 . Bell Boeing comprisesBell Helicopter ofFort Worth, Texas , a wholly owned subsidiary ofTextron , Inc., and theBoeing Aircraft Corporation in Philadelphia.Harrier Jump Jet
The
Harrier Jump Jet covers a series of a military VSTOL jet aircraft. It is capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL ) and is the only truly successful design of this type from the many that arose in the 1960s. These aircraft are capaple of operating from small spaces,such as fields, roads, and aviation-capable ships.There are four main versions of the Harrier Jump Jet.
*Hawker Siddeley Harrier
*British Aerospace Sea Harrier
*Boeing/BAE Systems AV-8B Harrier II
*BAE Systems/Boeing Harrier GR7/GR9Bell/Agusta 609 Tiltrotor
The
Bell/Agusta BA609 tiltrotor is the evolution ofBell Helicopter 'sV-22 Osprey into a civilian aircraft. The Aircraft can take off and land vertically with 2 crew and 9 passengers, and within 20 seconds, transition to forward flight (by tilting its rotorblades into a fully forward position, much like theV-22 Osprey ). In forward flight it can cruise at speeds of up to convert|275|kn|km/h|0, with a range exceeding 1,000 nautical miles (with long-range fuel tanks). It is rated to fly above FL210 (21,000 ft), has a maximum payload capacity of over 5,500 pounds, thanks to twoPratt and Whitney PT6C-67A turbines rated at 1,940 shp, each driving a convert|26|ft|m|0|sing=on diameter 3-bladed rotor blade. The aircraft is not yet in full production; however, many have expressed interest, and the waiting list for orders is already years long.References
* [http://www.faa.gov/international/35Assembly/Tiltrotor_IP.pdf report "ADDRESSING THE FUTURE CHALLENGES OF THE OPERATION OF POWERED LIFT CATEGORY/TILTROTOR CLASS AIRCRAFT IN INTERNATIONAL AIR NAVIGATION"] , report by "ASSEMBLY – 35 SESSION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE", at www.faa.gov
* [http://testimony.ost.dot.gov/test/pasttest/01test/Wallace1.htm "VERTICAL FLIGHT TECHNOLOGY IN THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM"] , Testimony ofWilliam Wallace the NATIONAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST FOR ROTORCRAFT OPERATIONS of theFederal Aviation Administration , BEFORE THESUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS ,9 May 2001 , at http://testimony.ost.dot.govee also
*
V-22 Osprey
*Canadair CL-84
*Tiltrotor
*F-35 Lightning II
*vertical take-off and landing
*Pilot certification in the United States
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