How Much Fuel Does the Harrier Burn in VTOL? Harrier pilots Luke “Warren” Jacobs and Frank “Pugs” Smith explain one of the biggest tradeoffs of V/STOL flight: fuel burn. In full vertical takeoff, especially when carrying ordnance, the Harrier consumes fuel at an enormous rate, making pure VTOL a powerful but often impractical tactical option. In most combat scenarios, pilots relied on short or rolling takeoffs to balance payload, range, and survivability. To learn more about the Harrier, check o

The plane that took off vertically in 1954. Most people think vertical takeoff jets are modern tech, but in 1954, the U.S. tested the Ryan X-13 Vertijet, a bizarre experimental aircraft that could launch straight up like a rocket, hover, then tilt forward and fly like a jet. It had no runway. It was tethered to a mobile platform. Once airborne, it balanced on jet thrust alone, using reaction controls to stabilize. After test flights proved it could take off, maneuver, and land vertically, the mi