ESTOLAS

ESTOLAS (Extremely Short Take Off and Landing on Any Surface) is a hybrid type of aircraft that is being developed in a project funded by the European Commission. Instead of an airplane's usual long, relatively narrow fuselage, it will have a bloated central void that can be filled with helium gas to make the aircraft lighter. In addition, vertical lift will be provided by a centrally located horizontal propeller, which, together with a skirt, gives ESTOLAS properties of a hovercraft and capability to land and take off from water, snow, and other surfaces.[1][2]

References
  1. Article and 3D image https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn24571-heliumfilled-airplane-could-help-in-disaster-zones.html
  2. 3D animation https://review.bellmedia.ca/view/793769296
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.