A Russian design company is working on an aircraft capable of accelerating for takeoff on a 50-meter runway. The new aircraft will have a cruise speed of 250 kmh with an estimated range of 1,000 km.
The innovative aircraft is being developed by the Promservice company from Istra, Moscow Region, TASS agency reports. The designers are now in the second phase of their project, where they are building a flight demonstrator. The 10 propellers with electric drive installed along the leading edge of the wing will help the aircraft gain the necessary lift while it accelerates on the ground. Its maximum speed will be 315 kmh, but its average cruise speed will be 250 kmh; its payload will reach 500 kg.
The first flight of the innovative aircraft is planned for 2022. The project is supported by the Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects; it is one of the nine projects the foundation launched last year.
Incidentally, the United States has developed a plane with a vertical takeoff. That plane will need no runway at all to take off.