![](http://www.alamy.com/thumbs/6/EF170EA2-EC16-4B66-BAAF-C333EA8C423C/C0TFBA.jpg)
NASA-Army-Bell XV-15 tilt rotor research aircraft
The NASA-Army-Bell XV-15 tiltrotor research aircraft hovered (1976) and then demonstrated conversion and forward flight (1978) as the first tilting rotor vehicle to solve the problems of "prop whirl." Through tremendously difficult research, the tilt rotor aircraft was able to combine the advantages of vertical liftoff and landing capabilities, which are inherent to the traditional helicopter, with the forward speed and range of a fixed wing turboprop airplane. This research can eventually lead to providing the aviation transportation industry with the flexibility for high-speed, long-range flight, united with runway-independent operations, thereby significantly relieving airport congestion.
Size: 1916px × 1417px
Photo credit: © NASA Archive / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: aeroplane, aircraft, airplane, american, aviation, concept, experimental, flight, historic, historical, history, landing, nasa-army-bell, pilot, pilots, plane, research, rotor, test, testing, tilt, tilt-rotor, tiltrotor, vertical, vtol, xv-15