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Old July 5th 17, 11:29 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
Vaughn Simon[_2_]
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Posts: 67
Default Lilium Aviation flies prototype of its 160-knot all-electric VTOL

On 7/5/2017 2:21 AM, wrote:
And there is an even more important term that needs to be re-looked at:

VTOL.

Helicopters are VTOL aircraft. Quadcopters are VTOLs. But there is a special


subcategory of VTOLs that have a much greater efficiency in speed and range.

This is VTOL aircraft that can cruise horizontally with wing lift used to

efficiently overcome gravity rather than rotor lift or jet lift. This

category includes aircraft such as the AV-8 Harrier, the V-22 Osprey and

the F-35. Because this group of aircraft has such strong advantages over

VTOL aircraft that are not capable of horizontal cruise (using wing lift),

it would be very helpful to have a special term for this group. One
idea here would be:


Just FYI, a few years ago the FAA wrote a bunch of regulations for a new
category of aircraft called "Powered Lift" A close reading of the below
definition shows that it applies to the aircraft you mention above.

FAA definition of "Powered Lift": Powered-lift means 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.

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