Tilt Rotors

A lot of jet VTOL project failed in U.S.A. neverthless they consumed a lot of dollar. Only British Harrier overcomed this honour. Propped VTOL cargo planes were similar. Some of them reached near practical machine. I am not sure the real reason of this matter. It maybe technology did not advanced enough to get expected specifications. Of cource, they were not profitable than these helicopters for civil use. The fact competition of helicopters were so hard that even that Boeing company brought to a deadlock. I thought that U.S. gave up to product VTOL plane till recentry. Then I noticed that V-22 revived.

OSPREY BA609 XC-142A

Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey

The requirement of Marine is to bring gas and parts for Harrier, or soldiers and materials .

Marine sometimes battle in woods or bushes where not suitable to make runway. But there were many case happened that the shortage of helicopter range due helicopter carrier ship to close the land.
It means danger for ship, consumption of the time while it cruise several hundred miles. So faster and long ranged VTOL cargo required. About ten years ago, V-22 ordered for production type. But happened accidents cancelled the order. "Too dangerous", many people thought. Fortunately, fly-by-wire technology enabled to control easy and safety for those quite delicate habitation.

Span:15.52m Length:17.47m Height:6.9m Weight empty:15.03t gross:21.54t(VTOL) 24.95t Engine Allison T406-AD-400 6,150shp*2 Vmax;509km/h Rc=707m/min Zc=7,924m Range;1235nm Crue/Passenger 4/24 1st Flight 1989/03/19 (V-22)

Bell/Agusta BA609

This will be a remarkable first VTOL airplane for civil use. Maximum and/or cruise speed, Range, conform cruise, gas consumption, BA609 have many merits than helicopter. Problem was the development cost. Bell and Boeing corresponded in this project. It was not easy to maintain joint venture. Boeing changed Agusta in the way. After all, BA609 completed. It seems to be suitable for liaison, recon, patrol, or other military purposes

Span:18.3m Length:13.3m Height:--m Weight empty:4.76t gross:7.25t Engine P-W C PT6T-67A 1,850shp*2 Vc=510km/h Zc=7,620m Range:777nm 1st Flight 2000 Crue/Passenger 1-2/6-9 (BA609 expected)

LTV/Hiller/Ryan XC-142A

If you think that Vaut company as a conventional aircraft industry, it is needed to know the products of them. Their product were somewhere unusual and ambitious. Even that serious F-8U had tilt wing mechanism that no one copied. Many prototypes of VTOL same. It was regrettable that those effort could net met fortune, in other words, they failed to earn money. XC-142A was one of model of this Vaut's tradition. Vaut succeed to develop VTOL cargo plane while any other company could not. It was said that XC-142A had reached to production stage, but not realized. I am not sure why this project cancelled.

Span:20.6m Length:17.8m Height:8m Weight empty:10.25t gross:18.6t(VTOL) Engine GE T64-GE-1 2,805shp*4 Vmax=640km/h Vc=450km/h Crue/Passenger 2/32 1st Flight 1964 (XC-142A)

Last updated 2002/08/01