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The first flight of a delta wing aircraft took place in the United States at the Muroc AFB Flight Test Center on 18 September 1948. The aircraft, Convair No. 7002, Air Force S/N 46-682 and designated the XF-92A was piloted by Convair's Manager of Flight Research, E.D. “Sam” Shannon. The author witnessed this historic flight as a Flight Test Engineer on the project. Studies and wind tunnel tests for a supersonic interceptor were conducted at the Vultee Division of Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation (Convair) in 1945. These studies led to the selection of the 60° delta wing plan form. This paper reviews the major differences between the thin wing XF-92A and the thick wing DM-1 glider (never flown) designed by Alexander M. Lippisch in Germany at the close of World War II. The XF-92A used a fully hydraulic irreversible control system for its elevons and rudder. The only airplanes up to this time with fully hydraulic controls were the Northrop XB-35 and the YB-49 flying wings.

The Convair/Navy XFY-1 VTOL fighter was ahead of its time. In the early 1950s it became the first airplane to take off vertically, hover, transition to high speed level flight, transition back to hover, and land vertically. Pilot “Skeets” Coleman made a number of successful flights at Moffett Field South of San Francisco, at Brown Field near the California/Mexican border, and at San Diego's Lindbergh Field. This “first of a kind” aircraft soon adopted the name “POGO”. The POGO with its stall proof delta wing had near perfect aerodynamic characteristics in hover, transition and level flight. There were no “black boxes” needed for stability augmentation. The POGO was one of the very first aircraft to use hydraulic power flight controls - a system used today on all modern fighter and transport aircraft.

A review is made of a number of flying automobiles that have been built and flown including two that were granted Approved Type Certificates by the CAA (now FAA). Also reviewed are conceptual or visionary designs by a number of innovators. The author, although critical of certain designs, encourages creativity and continued exploration of new flying automobile concepts. It is possible that high technology advances may lead to a flying automobile that will satisfactorily combine the comfort and convenience of the automobile with the high cruise speed and efficiency of the airplane. Dreamers are urged to dream on, and on, into the 21st Century.

By the early 21st century, high speed VSTOL aircraft will be operating in Air Transportation Systems around the world moving people and cargo to and from thousands of public use vertiports and stolports. Of even greater significance is the fact that high speed VSTOL aircraft will be playing a major role in reducing traffic congestion on the ground and in the air at busy hub airports. For many years world wide attention has been drawn to the United States' effort to develop the military V-22 Osprey. More than two billion dollars have been expended on this tilt rotor program. The advantages of a tilt wing over a tilt rotor, however, are beginning to surface in both the United States and abroad. The tilt wing, it turns out, is more efficient, more cost effective, safer and an easier aircraft to operate. Tilt wing development began in the mid 1950's. Successful demonstrator aircraft were the Boeing Vertol 76 VZ-2, the Hiller X-18, the LTV/Hiller/Ryan XC-142A and the Canadair CL-84.

High speed VSTOL aircraft that can cruise between 300 and 400 knots are becoming technically and economically feasible. As civil transports, they could help relieve congestion at major airports around the world. Demonstrator vehicles have proven that tilt wing and tilt rotor aircraft can meet performance expectations. Advances in propulsion, materials, flight controls and avionics places aviation on the threshold of truly practical and cost effective high speed VSTOL aircraft. The Bell XV-15 tilt rotor and the Canadair CL-84 tilt wing aircraft were successful demonstrators. They are nearly identical in size, weight and available power; thus, there is a good opportunity to make realistic capability comparisons. Future markets for tilt wing and tilt rotor aircraft range from small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV'S) to large 40-passenger transports. Above this size it becomes more practical to use a tilt wing STOL design.