en.Wedoany.com Reported - During a keynote address at SAE AeroTech in West Palm Beach, Florida, Whisper Aero CEO Mark Moore unveiled the company's JetFoil integration concept for next-generation runway-independent aircraft. By integrating Whisper's electric ducted fans into the leading edge of the wing, the design enables conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL), short takeoff and landing (STOL), and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) within the same airframe, without the need for complex tilting mechanisms or separate lift propulsion systems.
During his speech, Moore also received the V/STOL F.E. Newbold Award, which recognizes contributions to the propulsion and realization of powered-lift flight. Previous recipients include individuals involved in the F-35, AV-8A Harrier, V-22 Osprey, and SpaceX rocket vertical landing systems.
In a press release issued after the keynote, Whisper stated that as its UltraQuiet, highly efficient electric ducted fan technology continues to mature, the team naturally began seeking the optimal way to integrate this propulsion system into various aircraft. Unlike turbofans, propellers, or other forms of electric propulsion, Whisper's electric ducted fans are scale-invariant in terms of thrust, operating at low engine pressure ratios with propulsion efficiency exceeding 90%, even at high speeds and small sizes. These fans also feature low swirl characteristics, producing more concentrated thrust.
These attributes enable a higher level of distributed propulsion without the losses or noise issues associated with other distributed propulsion systems. Leveraging this technological advantage, Whisper designed JetFoil, which embeds and blends multiple electric ducted fans directly into the leading edge of the wing airfoil to capture clean incoming airflow. The jets discharged from the propulsor array merge into a uniform jet sheet, accelerating the air over the upper wing surface and providing a stall-free passive lift enhancement solution. The resulting blown wing is highly resistant to gusts or turbulence, achieving a maximum lift coefficient of up to 40 at 15 knots on an aircraft with a thrust-to-weight ratio of 0.5 and a wing loading of 25 lbf/ft².
JetFoil draws on the upper surface blowing (USB) technology developed by NASA on the Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA), a demonstrator Moore worked on early in his career. Whisper's JetFoil advances the USB concept by blowing the entire wingspan through a series of propulsors, without requiring heat, swirl, turbulence, or additional parasitic drag. The low-noise characteristics of Whisper's propulsion system are further enhanced by JetFoil, as jet noise is reflected off the upper wing surface and away from communities.
Ongoing testing shows that JetFoil enables conventional, short, and vertical takeoff and landing flight using only simple flaps. The highly uniform, high-speed exhaust allows for Coanda flow turning and maintains natural flow attachment. This stands in stark contrast to other VTOL technologies that employ complex tilting propulsors (such as the V-22 Osprey), use flap systems to forcibly redirect airflow (such as the Ryan Vertiplane), or combine both approaches (such as the Lilium Jet Flap). Whisper's JetFoil achieves flow turning of 90° with a turning efficiency exceeding 95%, and flow turning of over 170° with a turning efficiency exceeding 70%.
JetFoil encapsulates thrust for vertical, short, and conventional flight modes within the same airframe, avoiding the need for the aircraft to package separate powered-lift propulsion systems (such as the F-35B), thereby freeing up space for additional payload. The concept also enables near-vertical takeoff and landing flight, requiring only 50 feet of ground roll to follow typical helicopter takeoff and landing profiles, clearing a 50-foot obstacle within a horizontal distance of less than 300 feet. The 50-foot ground roll avoids the need for takeoff in powered-lift mode, which forces an aircraft to generate 1.2 times its maximum weight in thrust. JetFoil requires less than half the thrust-to-weight ratio, potentially doubling payload capacity and extending range.
Whisper continues to test its propulsors and JetFoil on the ground and in flight through multiple contracts with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and NASA. The company is currently working with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to rapidly design, build, and fly a JetFoil-powered aircraft prototype within the next year.
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