Advanced Vertical Takeoff and Landing was a topic of discussion at the recent American Helicopter Society International”s Annual Forum & Technology Display in Houston, Texas.
VTOL refers to an aircraft”s ability to takeoff, hover and land vertically. There are numerous advantages to advancing VTOL capabilities, particularly maneuverability in a combat situation.
The special session highlighted presentations by representatives of four manufacturers who each discussed aircraft development programs in progress.
Low speed maneuverability at the objective area is still a core Army capability requirement, but the future operational environments dictate a lead-ahead capability in the area of speed, range, and payload.
Advanced rotary-wing configurations and enabling technologies are needed to achieve the combination of performance for range, speed, payload, as well as survivability, reliability and affordability for emerging Future Vertical Lift requirements and missions. Advancing these enabling technologies include examining areas like rotor control, blade control and vibration control.