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NASA's pioneering aeronautics research has paved the way for a new class
of small jet aircraft. Dubbed "Very Light Jets," these airplanes can take off and land on
runways as short as 3000 feet, compared with the much longer fields required by
conventional light jets. Entrepreneurs at thousands of small, underused airports are envisioned
to open air taxi services using these new aircraft, where travelers could avoid the long waits
and hassles that are typical of commercial air travel.
Shown here is a jet built by Scaled Composites to demonstrate the revolution in light jets.
First flown in 1997, it showcased the propulsion, airframe, and airspace technologies
developed by NASA for general aviation.
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