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The OMA SUD Redbird is an Italian two-seat, composite light-sport aircraft (LSA) from composite maker OMA Sud. Introduced at the AERO Friedrichshafen show in 2012, the aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly. The Redbird is a carbon fiber, low-wing aircraft with side-by-side configuration seating and fixed tricycle landing gear powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS or Rotax 912iS aircraft engine or a Fiat automotive diesel engine. The cockpit width is 135 cm (53 in).[2][3] The airframe was designed to accommodate retractable gear and the intention is that the European version will offer fixed or retractable gear, while the US LSA version will have fixed landing gear. The aircraft first flew in early 2012, but by 2015 manufacturing arrangements had not been finalized and production not commenced. Reviewer Marino Boric described the design in a 2015 review as, "elegant and usually roomy" and added that it "belongs to the high end UL/LSA segment".

The MAI-223 Kityonok (Russian: МАИ-223 «Китенок», English: MAI-223 Whale Calf) is a single-engine STOL ultralight aircraft developed by the Moscow Aviation Institute's special design bureau (OSKBEC) from 2002. The first production aircraft was delivered in 2008. A crop spraying version is under development. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or complete and ready-to-fly. The Kityonok is a parasol winged, conventionally laid-out ultralight which seats two side by side. The parasol configuration was used to increase wing lifting area to improve STOL performance. Though the prototype had a partly fabric-covered fuselage, later Kityonoks have glass fibre skins everywhere except for control surfaces. The fuselage has an aluminium frame, and the wings have aluminium alloy ribs. The constant-chord wings are swept forward at about 4°, with 3° of dihedral and mount electrically operated flaps. The wings are braced with a V-form pair of lift struts on each side, fixed to the lower fuselage close to the engine mounting and assisted by jury struts. The centre section loads are carried by a centre-line pair of faired cabane struts. The wings can be folded for storage. The tailplane is trapezoidal and set at the top of the fuselage; there is an electrically operated trim tab on the port elevator. The rudder has a ground-adjustable tab. The Kityonok is normally powered by a 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912 ULS flat-four engine driving a three-bladed propeller, though the lower-powered Rotax 503UL or 582 UL are options. Access to the cabin is via two deep, glazed doors. The Kityonok has a conventional undercarriage with main wheels on backward-leaning cantilever legs mounted on torsion bars in the lower fuselage. The mainwheels have hydraulic brakes, and the tailwheel casters. Alternatively it can be equipped with skis or floats. Two production batches of 10 were begun in 2006, on by MAI and one by PRAD. Plans were announced that year for production of the MAI-223SKh crop sprayer version at UZGA (The Ural Works of Civil Aviation) at Ekaterinburg. 4 Kityonoks had been completed by 2009. Though it was intended to produce kits for home building as well as ready-to-fly aircraft, it is not known if any have been made. The third prototype/first production aircraft was delivered to the Tomsk Aero Club in 2008. Variants MAI-223 Base version MAI-223SKh Crop sprayer, announced 2006, first flight 31 August 2007. Can carry up to 160 L (42.2 US gal; 35.2 Imp gal) of chemicals distributed via an 8.56 m (28 ft 1 in) spray bar extending beyond the wings. MAI-208 Autogyro based on MAI-223 fuselage.

The Niki Lightning is a fully enclosed two-seater tricycle autogyro of composite construction, designed and built by Niki Rotor Aviation in Bulgaria. It was introduced in 2009. The Lightning's cockpit pod accommodates a pilot and passenger in tandem. The main rotor is two-bladed, with a pre-rotator. Unconventionally the tail boom is mounted though the centre of the propeller shaft. The boom may be unbolted and removed to aid access to the engine and prop. There is a choice of two very compact D-Motor engines (both liquid-cooled horizontally-opposed side-valve four-strokes): either the 95 hp (71 kW) 4-cylinder LF26 or the 130 hp (97 kW) 6-cylinder LF39. The engine is sited behind the cockpit, driving a 3- or 4-bladed ground-adjustable pusher propeller which is coaxial with the tail boom. The D-Motor engines are direct-drive units redlined at 3,000 rpm. The engines are sited beneath the thrust line of the propeller; instead of using a gearbox, the Lightning uses a multi-belt-drive reduction system of about 3:2 ratio, resulting in an efficient propeller speed of up to 2,000 rpm. This arrangement avoids the necessity of a tailboom beneath the propeller, giving a smoother empenage and reducing drag. Beneath the tail-fin a spring-steel tailskid is fitted, to inhibit propeller strikes. Consuming some 15 L (4.0 US gal; 3.3 imp gal) of avgas per hour, the autogyro has an endurance of 4 hours, with 30 minutes reserve. Its cruise speed of 81 kn (150 km/h; 93 mph) gives the autogyro a range of over 320 nmi (590 km; 370 mi). It has a take-off roll of 70 m (230 ft), and a landing roll of 20 m (66 ft). The Lightning may be flown with its side doors removed. An alternative engine for the Niki Lightning is the Rotax 914UL (but the normal Rotax gearbox would be dispensed with in favour of the drive belts).

The I-11 was a two-seat civil utility aircraft manufactured in Spain in the 1950s. Originally designed by the Spanish aircraft company Iberavia, its first (of two) prototype flew on 16 July 1951. It was a low-wing monoplane of conventional configuration with fixed, tricycle undercarriage and a large, bubble canopy over the two side-by-side seats. Flight characteristics were found to be pleasing, but before plans could be made for mass production, Iberavia was acquired by AISA. The new management decided to continue with development, but made a few changes to the design, reducing the size of the canopy, and replacing the undercarriage with a taildragger arrangement. This configuration entered production in 1952 with an order from the Director General for Civil Aviation for 70 aircraft for use in Spain's aeroclubs. The Spanish Air Force then ordered 125 for use in training and liaison roles. The Air Force then requested 200 aircraft built with the seats in tandem, which were designated I-115 by the manufacturers powered by a 112 kW (150 hp) ENMA Tigre inverted air-cooled engine.Number built 208 Variant I-11 2 prototypes by Iberavia, tricycle undercarriage I-11B Production examples by AISA AISA I-115 Tandem-seat version.

The NAC Fieldmaster was a British agricultural aircraft of the 1980s. A turboprop powered single-engined monoplane, it was built in small numbers and used both as a cropsprayer and a firefighting aircraft. NDN Aircraft was set up in 1976 by Desmond Norman to build the Firecracker trainer. Norman had been a founder of the Britten-Norman company, the manufacturers of the Islander. NDN Aircraft designed a new agricultural aircraft, the NDN-6 Fieldmaster. This was a large single-engined low-winged monoplane with a fixed tricycle undercarriage, powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engine, the first western-built agricultural aircraft to be designed for turboprop power. Novel features included an integral hopper made of Titanium to carry its chemical payload, which was dispersed via spray nozzles built into the flaps under the aircraft's wings. The first prototype flew on 17 December 1981 at NDN's airfield at Sandown, Isle of Wight. TNDN moved the premises to Cardiff, Wales in 1985, renaming itself the Norman Aeroplane Company (NAC). Production finally started in 1987. It was intended that parts would be produced by UTVA in Pančevo, Yugoslavia (now in Serbia) to be assembled in Cardiff. NAC went into receivership in 1988, after the production of six Fieldmasters, including the prototype.[5] Brooklands Aerospace attempted to continue production, rebuilding one of the Fieldmasters with a more powerful engine as a specialised firefighting aircraft as the Firemaster 65, but these attempts were stopped by the outbreak of civil war in Yugoslavia. Total number built: 10 A final attempt at production was made by the Turkish Aeronautical Association (Türk Hava Kurumu – THK) who started licensed production in 1997. This ended in 1999 after completion of two complete aircraft and a further two airframes lacking engines. Variants NDN-6 Fieldmaster The initial designation for the prototype; one built. NAC Fieldmaster Designation of production aircraft after the formation of the Norman Aeroplane Company (NAC); five built. Brooklands Aerospace Firemaster 65 A rebuilt Fieldmaster with more powerful engine and firefighting equipment; one conversion. THK-TAYSU Production in Turkey by Türk Hava Kurumu (THK); four built

The North American FJ-1 Fury is an early turbojet-powered carrier-capable fighter aircraft used by the United States Navy (USN). Developed by North American Aviation (NAA) starting in 1945, it became the first jet aircraft in USN service to serve at sea under operational conditions. This first version of the FJ was a straight-winged jet, briefly operational during the transition to more successful designs. An evolution of the FJ-1 would become the land-based XP-86 prototype of the United States Air Force's enormously influential F-86 Sabre, which in turn formed the basis for the Navy's carrier-based, swept-winged North American FJ-2/-3 Fury. In late 1944, the USN sought proposals for a follow-on aircraft to supplement its first jet fighter, the McDonnell XFD-1 Phantom; three competing proposals from NAA, McDonnell Aircraft Corporation and Vought were selected. The NAA NA-134 was ordered on 1 January 1945 as the XFJ-1 and would be developed in parallel with the Vought F6U Pirate (the competing McDonnell proposal would eventually evolve into the McDonnell F2H Banshee). The XFJ-1 was a straight-wing, tricycle gear fighter with a single General Electric J35 turbojet fed by an intake passing through the fuselage; to avoid bifurcating the intake and thus increasing drag, the cockpit was placed entirely above the intake duct, giving the aircraft a squat appearance. It was armed with six .50 BMG machine guns mounted next to the air intake, making it the last aircraft ordered by the USN to use .50 BMG guns as its primary armament. The wing, empennage, and canopy strongly resembled that of the piston-engined P-51D Mustang, North American Aviation's highly successful World War II fighter, enclosing a relocated cockpit accommodation further forward in relation to the Mustang's design, to ensure good forward pilot visibility for carrier operations. The first flight of the prototype XFJ-1 was conducted on 27 November 1946, and the first of 30 deliveries of the improved NA-141, designated FJ-1, took place in March 1948.[6] Flown by Navy squadron VF-5A, the FJ-1 made the USN's first operational aircraft carrier landing with a jet fighter at sea on 10 March 1948 aboard USS Boxer, pioneering US jet-powered carrier operations and underscoring the need for catapult-equipped carriers.The Fury was capable of launching without catapult assistance, but on a crowded flight deck the capability was of limited use. Taking off without a catapult launch limited the FJ-1 to a perilous, slow climb that was considered too risky for normal operations. As German research into swept wing aerodynamics was not yet available when the design was finalized, the FJ-1 used a straight wing. Folding wings were not used because dive brakes mounted in the wings made them unfeasible. To conserve carrier deck space, a "kneeling" nose gear strut along with a swiveling "jockey wheel" allowed the FJ-1 to be stacked tail-high, close to another FJ-1. Before the first production FJ-1 was even delivered, the initial order for 100 units was trimmed to only 30 because more promising naval fighter designs had entered development. The production aircraft were initially used in testing at NAS North Island, California. VF-5A, soon redesignated as VF-51, operated the type from Boxer in March 1948 and from USS Princeton in August 1948, but operations did not go well, and the aircraft proved to have weak landing gear. One of the four FJ-1s to operate from Princeton was destroyed in a hard landing on arrival and went over the side; fortunately the pilot was rescued, but further accidents resulted in the cancellation of the operations after only two days. Although VF-51 went to sea on Boxer one more time in May 1949, the FJ-1s were phased out afterwards in favor of the new F9F-2 Panther. Ending its service career in U.S. Naval Reserve units, the FJ-1 was eventually retired in 1953. The one highlight in its short service life was VF-51's win in the Bendix Trophy Race for jets in September 1948. The unit entered seven FJ-1s, flying from Long Beach, California to Cleveland, Ohio, with VF-51 aircraft taking the first four places, ahead of two California Air National Guard Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars. Number built: 33 (including 3 prototypes) Variants XFJ-1 Prototype aircraft, powered by a 3,820 lbf (17 kN) General Electric J35-GE-2 turbojet engine, three built. FJ-1 Fury Single-seat fighter aircraft, powered by a 4,000 lbf (17.8 kN) Allison J35-A-2 turbojet engine, armed with six 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns, 30 built a further 70 were cancelled.

The North American B-45 Tornado is an early American jet bomber designed and manufactured by aircraft company North American Aviation. It has the distinction of being the first operational jet bomber to enter service with the United States Air Force (USAF), as well as the first multiengine jet bomber to be refueled in midair. The B-45 originated from a wartime initiative launched by the U.S. War Department, which sought a company to develop a jet-propelled bomber to equal those being fielded by Nazi Germany, such as the Arado Ar 234. Following a competitive review of the submissions, the War Department issued a contract to North American to develop its NA-130 proposal; on 8 September 1944, work commenced on the assembly of three prototypes. Progress on the program was stalled by post-war cutbacks in defense expenditure but regained importance due to growing tensions between America and the Soviet Union. On 2 January 1947, North American received a production contract for the bomber, designated B-45A, from the USAF. On 24 February 1947, the prototype performed its maiden flight. Soon after its entry to service on 22 April 1948, B-45 operations were troubled by technical problems, in particular poor engine reliability. The USAF found the plane to be useful during the Korean War performing both conventional bombing and aerial reconnaissance missions. On 4 December 1950, the first successful interception of a jet bomber by a jet fighter occurred when a B-45 was shot down by a Soviet-built MiG-15 inside Chinese airspace. During the early 1950s, 40 B-45s were extensively modified so that they could be equipped with nuclear weapons. Improvements were made to their defensive systems and the fuel tankage was expanded to increase their survivability and range. In its heyday, the B-45 was important to United States defense strategy, performing the strategically critical deterrence mission for several years during the early 1950s, after which the Tornado was superseded by the larger and more capable Boeing B-47 Stratojet. Both B-45 bombers and reconnaissance RB-45s served in the USAF's Strategic Air Command from 1950 until 1959, when the USAF withdrew the last ones in favor of the Convair B-58 Hustler, an early supersonic bomber. The Tornado was also adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and operated from bases in United Kingdom, where it was used to overfly the Soviet Union on intelligence-related missions. Despite being painted with RAF markings and flown by RAF crew, they did not belong to the RAF; the RAF merely operated them on behalf of the United States. For details of development, operational history and variants, click here.

The Airbus CityAirbus is a multinational project by Airbus Helicopters to produce an electrically powered VTOL personal air vehicle demonstrator. It is intended for the air taxi role, to avoid ground traffic congestion. The CityAirbus follows other Airbus Urban Air Mobility initiatives: Skyways to deliver packages by UAVs on the National University of Singapore campus, the A³ Vahana single-passenger, self-piloted VTOL aircraft and the A³ Voom on-demand shared helicopter booking service app by Airbus. A 2015 feasibility study confirmed the design's operating costs and that it could meet safety requirements.Full-scale testing of the ducted propeller drivetrain was completed in October 2017.Type certification and commercial introduction are planned for 2023. The iron bird systems test prototype was completed and powered on in December 2017 on a test bench in Taufkirchen, Germany, to test the propulsion system chain, flight controls and propeller dynamic loads, verifying the electric, mechanical and thermal dynamics before being installed on the flight demonstrator by mid-2018. The first structural parts for the demonstrator were produced by Airbus Helicopters. The aircraft's first uncrewed flight was on 3 May 2019. Crewed flights have been planned for 2019.[5] 31 August 2020 the CityAirbus demonstrator moved from Donauwörth to Manching near Ingolstadt in Bavaria. After 242 flights over 1,000 km (540 nmi) in total with the Vahana and CityAirbus demonstrators, Airbus updated the CityAirbus project in September 2021. The new configuration boasts a fixed wing, a V-tail, and eight electric propellers without moving surfaces or tilting parts. It should carry up to four passengers over 80 km (43 nmi) at 120 km/h (65 kn) with sound levels below 65 dB(A) during fly-over and below 70 dB(A) during landing. First flight is planned for 2023 and certification is expected around 2025. As of mid-2025, one test flight has been advertised. EASA is already working on a special condition VTOL (SC VTOL) means of compliance (MOC) to certify eVTOL aircraft. The final version of the MOC for eVTOLs will use newly developed Eurocae standards. The second flight control computer will be developed in collaboration with Diehl Aviation and Thales. The multirotor is intended to carry four passengers, with a pilot initially and to become self-piloted when regulations allow.The overall system is being developed in Donauwörth, with the electrical propulsion system built in Ottobrunn/Munich.The use of four ducted fans contribute to safety and low acoustic footprint.The fully integrated drivetrain has eight propellers and eight 100 kW (130 hp) Siemens SP200D direct-drive electric motors.The fixed pitch propellers are controlled by their RPM.The four electric batteries total 110 kWh (400 MJ), weigh 500 kg[10] and can produce a combined output four times 140 kW (190 hp). The design should cruise at 120 km/h (65 kn) on fixed routes with 15 minutes endurance.

The Siemens-FlyEco Magnus eFusion is a German hybrid diesel-electric aircraft that was designed by Siemens and FlyEco, introduced at the AERO Friedrichshafen show in 2018. The aircraft is intended for series production as a ready-to-fly design. The design was first flown on 11 April 2018 in Hungary. On 31 May 2018, the prototype crashed in Hungary, while on a training flight, killing its two occupants. The aircraft featured a cantilever low-wing, a two-seat side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear, and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft was made from composites. The power train consisted of a Siemens SP55D electric motor which was intended to be powered by batteries for take-off and landing. A FlyEco three-cylinder diesel engine, derived from a Smart Car engine, with common rail injection and electronic controls, was intended to recharge the batteries in flight for extended range. The prototype crashed in Hungary on 31 May 2018 killing both occupants. The aircraft was on a training flight at the time. The accident investigation concluded that the crash was most likely due to pilot error in causing a high bank-angle stall close to the ground.

The Pipistrel WATTsUP is an electric aircraft proof-of-concept trainer design that was built in Slovenia by Pipistrel. The aircraft is based upon the Pipistrel Alpha Trainer, which was itself related to the Pipistrel Sinus and Virus designs. The WATTsUP was first publicly shown at the Salon de Blois airshow, in France on 30 August 2014. The proof of concept resulted in the Pipistrel Alpha Electro production aircraft. The WATTsUP is a high-wing, cantilever monoplane of pod-and-boom configuration with a T-tail. The cabin has two seats in side-by-side configuration. The WATTsUP is powered by an 85 kW (114.0 hp) electric motor developed by Siemens AG, that weighs just 14 kg (31 lb). The initial climb rate is over 5.1 m/s (1,000 ft/min). The manufacturer claims the electric motor produces more power than a Rotax 912 and can be fully charged in about one hour. The airplane is expected to be capable of flying for about one hour with a 30-minute reserve and it is most efficient in the traffic pattern where as much as 13 percent of the energy is recuperated during each approach. The initial base price is intended to be less than 100,000 Euros.

The Javelin V6 STOL is an American STOL homebuilt aircraft that was designed and produced by Javelin Aircraft of Wichita, Kansas. When it was available the aircraft was supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction. The V6 STOL consists of plans to power an existing certified Piper PA-20 Pacer airframe with a Ford Motor Company V6 engine and moving it from the Certified Category to the Experimental Amateur-built category. The aircraft features a strut-braced high wing, a four-seat enclosed cabin accessed via doors, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. Since it uses a standard Piper Pacer airframe, the aircraft is made from welded steel tubing, covered in doped aircraft fabric. Its 32.00 ft (9.8 m) span wing employs a USA 35B airfoil, mounts flaps and has a wing area of 168.00 sq ft (15.608 m2). The standard conversion installs a 230 hp (172 kW) Ford V6 powerplant, driving a fixed pitch propeller, although engines of up to 300 hp (224 kW) can be employed. The 230 hp (172 kW) engine gives the aircraft a sea level, standard day takeoff distance of 150 ft (46 m) and a landing distance of 300 ft (91 m). The V6 STOL has a typical empty weight of 1,200 lb (540 kg) and a gross weight of 2,200 lb (1,000 kg), giving a useful load of 1,000 lb (450 kg). With full fuel of 36 U.S. gallons (140 L; 30 imp gal) the payload for pilot, passengers and baggage is 784 lb (356 kg). In January 2014, 14 examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, but a total of 25 had been registered at one time. The manufacturer estimates the time to complete the conversion from the supplied plans as 400 hours.

The Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri (Hummingbird) is a single-seat intermeshing rotor helicopter, or synchropter, produced by Anton Flettner of Germany. According to Yves Le Bec, the Flettner Fl 282 was the world's first series production helicopter. The Fl 282 Kolibri was an improved version of the Flettner Fl 265 announced in July 1940, which pioneered the same intermeshing rotor configuration that the Kolibri used. It had a 7.7 litre displacement, seven-cylinder Siemens-Halske Sh 14 radial engine of 110–120 kW (150–160 hp) mounted in the center of the fuselage, with a transmission mounted on the front of the engine from which a drive shaft ran to an upper gearbox, which then split the power to a pair of opposite-rotation drive shafts to turn the rotors. The Sh 14 engine was a venerable, tried-and-true design with low specific power output and low power/weight ratio (20.28 hp/L, 0.54 hp/lb) which could (anecdotally) run for up to 400 hours without major servicing, as opposed to the more powerful 27 litre displacement, nine-cylinder BMW/Bramo Fafnir 750 hp radial engine powering the larger Focke Achgelis Fa 223 helicopter, whose higher output (27.78 hp/L, 0.62 hp/lb), more modern design required moderate maintenance as often as every 25 hours (such as changing spark plugs, etc., well within the norm for modern radial engines of that era). While such a heavy and low-powered engine would work well in a very small craft like the Fi 282, to try and scale it up and use an engine of equivalent power/weight ratio in the 700-1000 hp class would result in a massive and heavy engine leaving little excess capacity for cargo or passengers. 750 hp was the lowest rating that the Fafnir was available in - indeed, it was a low-power, low maintenance design compared with many other engines of this era. The Fl 282's fuselage was constructed from steel tube covered with doped fabric, and it was fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage. The German Navy was impressed with the Kolibri and wanted to evaluate it for submarine spotting duties, ordering an initial 15 examples, to be followed by 30 production models. Flight testing of the first two prototypes was carried out through 1941, including repeated takeoffs and landings from a pad mounted on the German cruiser Köln. The first two "A" series prototypes had enclosed cockpits; all subsequent examples had open cockpits and were designated "B" series. In case of an engine failure, the switch from helicopter to autorotation was automatic. Three-bladed rotors were installed on a test bed and found smoother than the vibrating 2-blade rotor, but the concept was not pursued further. The hover efficiency ("Figure of Merit") was 0.72 whereas for modern helicopters it is around 60%. Intermeshing rotors were not used on a mass production helicopter until after World War II. For details of operational history and variants, click here.

The McDonnell FH Phantom is a twinjet, straight-wing, carrier-based fighter aircraft designed and first flown during late World War II for the United States Navy. As a first-generation jet fighter, the Phantom was the first purely jet-powered aircraft to land on an American aircraft carrier and the first jet deployed by the United States Marine Corps. Although only 62 FH-1s were built it helped prove the viability of carrier-based jet fighters. As McDonnell's first successful fighter, it led to the development of the follow-on F2H Banshee, which was one of the two most important naval jet fighters of the Korean War; combined, the two established McDonnell as an important supplier of navy aircraft. McDonnell chose to bring the name back with the third-generation, Mach 2-capable McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, the most versatile and widely used Western combat aircraft of the Vietnam War era. The FH Phantom was originally designated the FD Phantom, but this was changed as the aircraft entered production. In early 1943, aviation officials at the United States Navy were impressed with McDonnell's audacious XP-67 Bat project. McDonnell was invited by the navy to cooperate in the development of a shipboard jet fighter, using an engine from the turbojets under development by Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Three prototypes were ordered on 30 August 1943 and the designation XFD-1 was assigned. Under the 1922 United States Navy aircraft designation system, the letter "D" before the dash designated the aircraft's manufacturer. The Douglas Aircraft Company had previously been assigned this letter, but the USN elected to reassign it to McDonnell because Douglas had not provided any fighters for navy service in years. McDonnell engineers evaluated a number of engine combinations, varying from eight 9.5 in (24 cm) diameter engines down to two engines of 19 inches (48 cm) diameter. The final design used the two 19 in (48 cm) engines after it was found to be the lightest and simplest configuration. The engines were buried in the wing root to keep intake and exhaust ducts short, offering greater aerodynamic efficiency than underwing nacelles, and the engines were angled slightly outwards to protect the fuselage from the hot exhaust blast. Placement of the engines in the middle of the airframe, behind the center of gravity, required the cockpit with its bubble-style canopy to be placed ahead of the wing, also granting the pilot excellent visibility in all directions. The long nose allowed designers to use tricycle gear, thereby elevating the engine exhaust path and reducing the risk that the hot blast would damage the aircraft carrier deck. The construction methods and aerodynamic design of the Phantom were fairly conventional for the time; the aircraft had unswept wings, a conventional empennage, and an aluminum monocoque structure with flush riveted aluminum skin. Folding wings were used to reduce the width of the aircraft in storage configuration. Provisions for four .50-caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns were made in the nose, while racks for eight 5 in (130 mm) High Velocity Aircraft Rockets could be fitted under the wings, although these were seldom used in service. Adapting a jet to carrier use was a much greater challenge than producing a land-based fighter because of slower landing and takeoff speeds required on a small carrier deck. The Phantom used split flaps on both the folding and fixed wing sections to enhance low-speed landing performance, but no other high-lift devices were used. Provisions were also made for Rocket Assisted Take Off (RATO) bottles to improve takeoff performance. For more details of development. operational history and variants, click here.

The Youngcopter Neo (transl. New) is a German NOTAR helicopter that was designed by Björn Jung and is under development by his company, Youngcopter of Mainz. It was first publicly introduced at the ILA Berlin Air Show in 2008. The aircraft is intended to be supplied as a kit for amateur construction. No projected date has been announced for kit deliveries and no pricing has been set as of January 2018. The Neo was designed to comply with the amateur-built aircraft construction rules. The first prototype was completed in 2008 and ground run. By 2010 ground testing had been completed, including rotor system tracking and balancing. The prototype first flew in hovering flight on 31 October 2011 and developmental hover flight testing continued through 2015. The Neo design features a single main rotor, with no tail rotor, a two-seats-in side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit with a windshield, skid landing gear and a twin-rotor 180 hp (134 kW) Neosis Wankel engine. The aircraft fuselage is composite material monocoque design. Its three-bladed rotor has a diameter of 7.7 m (25.3 ft) and can be folded for hangar storage. The aircraft has a typical empty weight of 385 kg (849 lb) and a gross weight of 640 kg (1,411 lb), giving a useful load of 255 kg (562 lb). With full fuel of 120 litres (26 imp gal; 32 US gal) the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is 168 kg (370 lb). The Neo kit under development is intended to be constructed by a person with average mechanical skills. It will not require any welding or composite materials lamination work. The proposed kit will include all sub-assemblies, engine and instruments.

The Irkut A-002 is a three-seat, pusher configuration autogyro developed in Russia through the 2000s by the United Constructor Bureau for Light Aircraft team of the Irkutsk Aircraft Production Association (IAPO) "Irkut" as the first independent product. Take-off is possible when wind speed exceeds 8 m/s, otherwise a running start of up to 15 m is necessary. The riveted covering is made of duralumin. The first produced consignment consisted of five autogyros. The A-002M is a further development. The A-002 has an enclosed, streamlined cabin accessed by large, windowed side doors. The two front seats have dual control, and there is a third seat behind. The fully enclosed, pusher-configuration flat-four AviaSmart engine is situated behind the cabin with a pair of cooling air intakes above its roof. The propeller thrustline is at cabin roof height. The two-blade rotor is mounted on a tall streamlined pylon at the rear of the cabin. In flight the rotor is undriven, but it can be spun up by the engine for jump starts made with no take-off run. Without this spin-up, take-off requires a run of 30 m (98 ft). The A-002 has composite tail surfaces mounted on a short boom joined to the bottom of the cabin/engine pod. The fin carries a mass- and horn-balanced rudder and an all-moving tailplane at ⅓ fin height. The A-002 has a fixed, wide track tricycle undercarriage with main wheels on cantilever spring legs. The first flight was on 6 July 2002. Production of five A-002s began in August 2002, but production was halted for further development and no deliveries were made until 2004,. Several revisions were made, including much-enlarged engine air intakes and the addition of endplate fins to the tailpane. The maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of the A-200 increased from 900 to 950 kg (1,980 to 2,090 lb), and both the rotor and fuselage were significantly extended. The more recent A-002M upgrade further raised the MTOW to 1,030 kg (2,270 lb). There have been tests of four- and six-bladed propellers. In 2005 the autogyro project participated in the Russian Innovation Contest where it was declared that at least 150 units should be sold to pay back the project. In 2006 a renewed version with an AviaSmart engine and a new extended main rotor was named A-002M. In 2008 it was declared about the certification of such autogyro type that year according to the actual aviation rules[clarification needed], however, even by 2012 the certificate has not been received yet. In 2010 they published a specification for a heavier version of A-002M at higher cost. The possibility of jump take-off remained, but it is not considered regular any more due to enhanced load on the bearing structure. It was also reported about developing of the unmanned version. One case of the autogyro's experimental operation by the IrkutskEnergo company in 2006 is known; no further cooperation with this company was reported. By late 2003 twenty A-002s had been ordered by Susuman Susumanzoloto OAO, a mining company which had received two, and by Irkutskehenergo OAO, which had received another two for power-line inspections. Five had been delivered by 2007. Variants A-002 (Specifications below) Original version. A-002M Heavier upgrade, specification released 2010.

The NASA X-57 Maxwell was an experimental aircraft developed by NASA, intended to demonstrate technology to reduce fuel use, emissions, and noise. The first flight of the X-57 was scheduled to take place in 2023, but the program was cancelled due to problems with the propulsion system. The experiment involved replacing the wings on a twin-engined Italian-built Tecnam P2006T (a conventional four-seater light aircraft) with distributed electric propulsion (DEP) wings, each containing electrically driven propellers. Test flights were initially planned to commence in 2017. The first test phase used an 18-engine truck-mounted wing. The second phase installed the cruise propellers and motors on a standard P2006T for ground- and flight-test experience. Phase 3 tests were to involve the high-lift DEP wing and demonstrate increased high-speed cruise efficiency. The leading-edge nacelles would be fitted, but the high-lift propellers, motors and controllers would not be installed. Phase 4 was to add the DEP motors and folding propellers to demonstrate lift-augmentation. The Leading Edge Asynchronous Propeller Technology (LEAPTech) project is a NASA project developing an experimental electric aircraft technology involving many small electric motors driving individual small propellers distributed along the edge of each aircraft wing. To optimize performance, each motor can be operated independently at different speeds, decreasing reliance on fossil fuels, improving aircraft performance and ride quality, and reducing aircraft noise. The X-57 project was publicly revealed by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on 17 June 2016 in a keynote speech to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) at its Aviation 2016 exposition. The plane was named for Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell. NASA's first X-plane in over a decade, it is part of NASA's New Aviation Horizons initiative, which will also produce up to five larger-scale aircraft. The X-57 was built by the agency's SCEPTOR project, over a four-year development period at Armstrong Flight Research Center, California, with a first flight initially planned for 2017. In July 2017, Scaled Composites was modifying a first P2006T to the X-57 Mod II configuration by replacing the piston engines with Joby Aviation electric motors, with plans to fly early in 2018. Mod III configuration will move the motors to the wingtips to increase propulsive efficiency. Mod IV configuration will see the installation of the Xperimental, LLC high aspect ratio wing with 12 smaller propellers along its leading edge to augment its takeoff and landing aerodynamic lift. Modified from a Tecnam P2006T, the X-57 would have been an electric aircraft, with 14 electric motors driving propellers mounted on the wing leading edges. All 14 electric motors would be used during takeoff and landing, with only the outer two used during cruise. The additional airflow over the wings created by the additional motors generates greater lift, allowing for a narrower wing. The aircraft would have seated two. It would have had a range of 100 mi (160 km) and a maximum flight time of approximately one hour. The X-57's designers hoped to reduce by five-fold the energy necessary to fly a light aircraft at 175 mph (282 km/h; 152 kn), including a threefold reduction due to switching from piston engines to battery-electric. For more details, click here.

The Rolls-Royce ACCEL (Accelerating the Electrification of Flight) is an electric aircraft demonstrator developed by Rolls-Royce plc. Rolls-Royce developed the ACCEL as a racing aircraft to gain the all-electric air speed record, targeting over 260 kn (480 km/h). The existing electric aircraft record at that time was 182 kn (337 km/h), set in 2017 by a Siemens powered Extra 330. Designed at Gloucestershire Airport, the project is partly funded by the UK government and involves partners such as electric motor and controller manufacturer YASA Limited and aviation start-up Electroflight. The team aimed to reach the 1931 Schneider Trophy speed, which was won by a R-R-powered Supermarine S.6B, reaching 298 kn (552 km/h). On 15 September 2021, Rolls-Royce announced the aircraft, named Spirit of Innovation, had successfully completed its first flight, flying from MoD Boscombe Down for fifteen minutes. It subsequently reached a top speed of 336 kn (622 km/h), and sustained 300 kn (560 km/h) over 3 km, 287 kn (532 km/h) over 15 km, and was able to climb to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 3min 22s. The speeds achieved were accepted as world records for electric aircraft by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in January 2022. The 7.3 m (24 ft) span aircraft is powered by triple stacked 200kW YASA 750R axial flux motors with a high power density driving a single three-blade propeller spinning at 2,400 RPM. The 750 Volt, 216 kWh battery has 6,480 cells, with cork insulation and active cooling. Battery output power will be 500 hp (373 kW) continuous, reaching 750 kW (1,010 hp) at maximum power.. It is designed to have the highest energy density for an aircraft, and should allow a 170 nmi (310 km) range. The aircraft is derived from the carbon fibre Sharp Nemesis NXT racer, which has a cruising speed of 282 kn (522 km/h) with a 350 hp (261 kW) piston engine, but can reach 355 kn (657 km/h) with a highly tuned engine. The maximum take-off weight of the NXT is 1,200 kg. Rolls-Royce intend the battery, motors and control equipment in a production system to weigh the same as the regular engine and fuel tank in a conventional aircraft, but the battery pack alone in the Spirit of Innovation currently weighs 1350 kg. The aircraft's livery was designed by the renowned Italian designer Mirco Pecorari, known for his expertise in aviation aesthetics and branding. The aircraft is in development and testing, so specifications areestimatews, and are limited.

The Pipistrel Velis Electro is a Slovenian light aircraft, designed and produced by Pipistrel of Ajdovščina. The aircraft was EASA CS-LSA fully electric type certified in June 2020 and it is intended primarily for the training aircraft role, particularly multiple successive take-off and landings at the airfield. The design is the first type certified electric aircraft and is supplied complete and ready-to-fly. The aircraft is based on the Pipistrel Virus airframe and features a cantilever high-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration in an enclosed cabin accessed via doors. It has a stick shaker and fixed tricycle landing gear and a single electric motor in tractor configuration. The airframe is predominantly made from composite materials. Its 10.71 m (35.1 ft) span wing, has an area of 9.5 m2 (102 sq ft), an aspect ratio of 12.03:1, an IMD 029-b airfoil and mounts three-position flaps, with settings of 0°, 8° and 19°. The sole approved powerplant is the liquid-cooled Pipistrel E-811 electric motor, rated at 57.6 kW (77 hp) at 2500 rpm for 90 seconds for take-off and 49.2 kW (66 hp) at 2350 rpm for continuous operation. The motor was developed in conjunction with the Slovenian engineering companies Emrax and Emsiso. It is powered by a 345 VDC, 20 kWh battery pack, in two 70 kg (150 lb) each, liquid-cooled lithium batteries by Pipistrel, connected in parallel for fault tolerance. One battery is mounted in the nose and one behind the cabin for balance. They take 2 hours to recharge from 30% to 100% capacity, and allow an endurance of up to 50 minutes plus 10 minutes of VFR reserves when flying in proximity of the aerodrome. The motor radiator is mounted in the nose, which necessitates a different engine cowling from the Virus design. The battery radiator is mounted in the rear. The to the liquid cooling and the weight of the battery unit, the batteries are not swappable, unlike the battery replacement system in the Alpha Electro. The-off is not allowed when battery state of charge (SoC) is below 50%. The aircraft has a built-in continuous health-monitoring system displaying the estimated 'age' of the battery, and the battery must be charged using proprietary equipment. The E-811 is the first certified electric aircraft motor and was certified by EASA on 18 May 2020. The Velis Electro has a maximum noise level of 60 dBa. The aircraft has an empty weight of 428 kg (944 lb) and a gross weight of 600 kg (1,300 lb), giving a useful load of 172 kg (379 lb). For more details of development and operational history, click here. Note: There is an electric variant of the Pipistrel Alpha Trainer, which is covered in Recreational (3 Axis) section.

The Airbus E-Fan is a prototype two-seater electric aircraft that was under development by Airbus. It was flown in front of the world press at the Farnborough Airshow in the United Kingdom in July 2014. The target market was intended to be pilot training, but production of the aircraft was cancelled in April 2017. Airbus Group developed this electric aircraft with Aero Composites Saintonge. The aircraft uses on-board lithium-ion batteries to power the two electric motors and can carry one pilot and one passenger. A test flight was conducted in April 2014 at Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport, France, landing in front of a large audience, the French Minister of Industry Arnaud Montebourg being one of them. At the 2014 Farnborough Airshow, Airbus announced that the E-Fan 2.0 would go into production by 2017 with a side-by-side seating layout.[3] Airbus stated at that time that there are plans for development of a commercial regional aircraft in the near future. The E-Fan is an all-electric two-seat twin-motor low-wing monoplane of composite material structure. It has a T-tail and a retractable tandem landing gear with outrigger wheels. The two motors are mounted on either side of the rear fuselage. Two production variants were initially planned, a two-seater E-Fan 2.0 for use as a trainer, and the E-Fan 4.0 four-seat touring aircraft. The E-Fan 4.0 appears identical to the E-Fan apart from a fuselage stretch. To increase flight duration the planned E-Fan 4.0 would have had a hybrid-electric system that will have a small engine to charge the battery (like a range extender), which would have increased its duration from 2 hours to 3.5 hours. The first flight of the E-Fan 2.0 was originally planned for 2017 and the E-Fan 4.0 for 2019. The E-fan is of all-composite construction and is propelled by two ducted, variable-pitch fans spun by two electric motors totaling 60 kW of power. Ducting increases thrust while reducing noise, and having the fans mounted centrally provides better control. The motors moving the fans are powered by a series of 250-volt lithium polymer battery packs made by South Korean company Kokam. The batteries are mounted in the inboard section of the wings. They have enough power for one hour and take one hour to recharge. An onboard backup battery is available to make an emergency landing if power runs out while airborne. The E-fan's landing gear consists of a retractable fore and aft wheel, and a fixed wheel under the wings. Unusually for an aircraft, the main wheel is powered by a 6 kW electric motor, which allows the plane to be taxied without the main motors, and is able to accelerate it to 60 km/h (37 mph; 32 kn) for takeoffs. Having the takeoff run performed by the undercarriage relieves some of the burden on the flight motors. In December 2014 Airbus announced that DAHER-SOCATA would complete the design work on the aircraft and certify it. VoltAir, an Airbus subsidiary, developed the initial prototype and worked with Daher-Socata during the testing phase as the project manager. At this point the aircraft became the VoltAir E-Fan. In April 2017 Airbus cancelled production of the E-Fan, preferring to concentrate on a proposed hybrid-electric, regional jet-sized aircraft, with an initial service date of 2030. On 9 July 2015, the E-Fan crossed the English Channel from Lydd Airport to Calais–Dunkerque Airport. It was flown by Didier Esteyne, the chief engineer of the E-Fan. Initially this was claimed as the first electric aircraft to cross the English Channel, but it has since been pointed out that there were previous such flights, including MacCready Solar Challenger as long ago as 1981, and Airbus now say it was the "first all-electric two-engine aircraft" to make the crossing. Siemens has sponsored electric equipment on the E-fan, but not motors. Variants E-Fan Two-seat concept aircraft and technology demonstrator, first flown March 2014. E-Fan 2.0 Proposed all-electric two-seat production variant, initially forecast to fly in 2017. E-Fan 4.0 Proposed hybrid-electric four-seat variant, to fly 2019; a kerosene fuelled generator would have extended endurance from 2 h to 3 h 30 min. E-Thrust Proposed 90-seat regional jet based on the principles of the E-Fan.