HC Deb 28 January 1957 vol 563 c644
4. Mr. Sydney Irving

asked the Minister of Supply if he will make a statement on the progress made with the jet-powered research aircraft SC-1 designed for vertical take-off and landing; and whether he will estimate when the results of such research are likely to be incorporated in production models for general use.

Mr. Aubrey Jones

The aircraft has recently undergone taxi-ing trials. These will be followed by flight trials to prove the aircraft in conventional forward flight, by hovering trials with the aircraft tethered to test the vertical lift arrangements, leading up finally to unrestricted vertical take-off and landing and transition from hovering to forward flight. It is impossible to forecast when the results of this research work will be embodied in an operational aircraft.

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