Principal Investigator R Hansman
The Super-STOL project examines the application of distributed electric propulsion technology to fixed wing aircraft with the goal of enabling short field performance that it is competitive with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) concepts in terms of the required ground infrastructure. This notionally translates into ground rolls of 100ft or less for a GA-size aircraft. This short field performance is achieved using blown lift, which is a high lift system where the wake from propellers lining the leading edge of the wing is deflected by trailing edge flaps, increasing the lifting capability of the wing. SSTOL aircraft would be useful for highly infrastructure-constrained urban air mobility missions, which focus on moving passengers and cargo in and around large urban areas and the surrounding regions. Compared to the VTOL vehicles being widely proposed for these missions, SSTOL vehicles may be easier to certify and have improved payload and/or range capability. Current areas of ongoing research are studying the conceptual benefits of the SSTOL vehicles, wind tunnel testing of various blown wing designs, and flight testing of a 13 ft span vehicle.