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ESTOLAS (Extremely Short Take Off and Landing on Any Surface) was a proposal for a hybrid type of aircraft that was developed from 2012 to 2014 in a project funded by the European Commission.
Instead of an airplane's usual long, relatively narrow fuselage, it was proposed to have a bloated central void filled with helium gas to make the aircraft lighter. In addition, vertical lift was to be provided by a centrally located horizontal propeller, which, together with a skirt, gives properties of a hovercraft and capability to land and take off from water, snow, and other surfaces.
The 24-month project had a budget of €708,426.
References
- Marks, Paul (12 November 2013). "Helium-filled airplane could help in disaster zones". New Scientist. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- "ESTOLAS". Archived from the original on 20 April 2016.
External links
- ESTOLAS project home page Archived 2013-11-18 at the Wayback Machine
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