V/STOL is a type of aircraft that can take off and land (1) vertically or (2) on a very short runway. The term V/STOL stands for vertical or short takeoff and landing.
A V/STOL plane can take off from or land on a runway less than 500 feet (150 meters) long. Large conventional planes may need more than 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) of runway. V/STOL’s have great military value because they can land on small airstrips near battlefields. They can also take off from and land on ships that do not have large flight decks.
Although helicopters can take off and land vertically, they are not considered V/STOL’s. A helicopter has one or two rotors, or rotary wings. But a V/STOL aircraft has fixed wings, like those of a conventional airplane, that provide lift during forward flight. This feature enables a V/STOL to fly much faster than a helicopter can. V/STOL aircraft can slow to a hover in the air. But they operate less efficiently than helicopters when hovering.
V/STOL’s can be classified into five main groups, depending on their lift-propulsion system. (1) Tilt-wing aircraft have engines mounted on their wings. The wings of these planes can be tilted to change the direction of the engine thrust. (2) Tilt-engine aircraft have engines that can be moved to direct the engine thrust. (3) Variable-thrust aircraft have special nozzles attached to their engines. The nozzles can be moved to change the direction of the engine thrust. (4) Lift-and-thrust aircraft have two sets of engines. One set provides forward thrust and the other set provides lift. (5) Lift-fan aircraft have horizontally mounted ducted propellers that provide vertical thrust for hovering, take-off, and landing.
The United States military tested the first modern V/STOL’s in 1954. These aircraft included the Navy’s Convair XFY-1 “Pogo.” This plane took off and landed in a vertical position, with its tail touching the ground. But it was too difficult to land to be practical. The other V/STOL tested in 1954 was the Transcendental Model 1G. A tilting rotor at the end of each wing enabled this airplane to take off vertically. The first widely used V/STOL, the Harrier, entered service with the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force in 1969 and with the U.S. Marine Corps in 1971. British and U.S. forces have used Harriers in several conflicts. In the 1970’s, the Soviet Navy developed a V/STOL aircraft called the Yak-38 Forger. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia withdrew the Yak-38’s from service. 
In the 2000’s, aerospace companies began developing small electric V/STOL’s, called eVTOL’s. The name eVTOL is short for electric vertical takeoff and landing. Many experts think eVTOL’s may eventually replace helicopters in such situations as transporting patients to hospitals in emergencies. Manufacturers claim eVTOL’s could be quieter than helicopters and create less pollution. Some businesspeople believe autonomous (self-driving) eVTOL’s could be used in large cities as “air taxis” to transport passengers quickly over short distances.
