Seamans, Jr., the Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Air Force, respectively, and had opposed the VSTOL LIT course, promoting a new
STOL aircraft to replace the C-130.
Another feature that STOL aircraft have in common is that they are high wing planes.
Although the concept has not been seriously pursued in series production, it is perhaps worth mentioning three innovative jet-powered STOL aircraft types.
With the exception of the JATO systems (Jet-Assisted Take-Off) - in which case the "L" of STOL is dropped - there are at present two other ways of shortening the take-off distance of STOL aircraft over and above those mentioned earlier.
Nowadays, however, industry is in a position to offer helicopters with a decent payload that can not only offload men and equipment more rapidly than STOL aircraft (they only remain stationary on the ground for a very short time and can take off immediately) but that can deliver them to totally inaccessible places, equally inaccessible, one presumes, to the enemy.
Does this mean the end of the STOL aircraft? By no means.
Here the STOL aircraft can profit from its flying qualities and relatively low cost to overcome these disadvantages.
Totally unknown a few years ago as an aircraft manufacturer, Bromon Aircraft of Las Vegas has embarked on the ambitious project of developing a new STOL aircraft from scratch.
The DHC-6 STOL aircraft has been sold to the tune of 825 units all over the world, including the People's Republic of China.
A small dimension STOL aircraft (about four tonnes unladen weight), the Arava distinguishes itself from its contemporaries by a squat and somewhat peculiar body due to its twin-boom configuration.