NASA Puffin

The Puffin is an American proposed hover-capable, electric-powered, low-noise, personal vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) technology-concept proprotor aircraft. The concept design was projected to be capable of flying a single person at a speed of 150 miles per hour (241 km/h), with range expected to be less than 50 miles (80 km) with 2010-vintage Lithium-iron-phosphate battery technology. The design specified a 13.5 foot (4.1 m) wingspan, standing 12 feet (3.65 m) tall on the ground in its take-off or landing configuration.[1]

Puffin
Puffin
Role Personal electric aircraft
National origin United States
Status One-third scale model built, not flown
Number built 0

Development

As of January 2010, NASA expected to achieve the first flight of a one-third scale, hover-capable Puffin demonstrator by March 2010. By mid-summer 2010, they hoped to "begin investigating how well it transitions from cruise to hover flight".[2] As of August 2010, the one-third scale model of the Puffin was briefly on display at the NASA Langley campus for the filming of the Discovery network series Dean of Invention. The Puffin simulator was also demonstrated. The Puffin was slated to appear in the eighth and final episode of the show.[3]

Specifications (expected)

Data from NASA[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 12 ft 0 in (3.65 m)
  • Wingspan: 13 ft 6 in (4.1 m)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 150 mph (241 km/h, 130 kn)
  • Range: 50 mi (80 km, 43 nmi) expected range "no more" than this

See also

References
  1. Dillow, Clay (2010-01-19). "NASA's Puffin Is a Stealthy, Personal Tilt-Rotor Aircraft". Popular Science. Archived from the original on 2010-01-22. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  2. Choi, Charles Q. (2010-01-19). "Electric Icarus: NASA Designs a One-Man Stealth Plane". Scientific American. Archived from the original on 2010-07-01. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  3. NASA TV's This Week @NASA, August 13 Archived 2010-09-15 at the Wayback Machine, 2010-08-13, accessed 2010-09-10.



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