Vertjet

Description

The vertjet is a successor to the tiltrotor, able to land and takeoff vertically. Instead of tilting propellers and conventional turbines, it utilizes ion thrusters and an electrical power system.

PRIMAL Assessment

The development of ultracapacitor technology enables the vertjet to equal the performance of turbine-powered aircraft however, like gasoline powered aircraft range is limited. However, electric powered aircraft provide long term sustainability when launched from a forward operating base containing a compact fusion reactor. Also, utilizing ion thrusters means the vertjet requires less space than a tiltrotor making it viable to operate from aerostats.