Coolest Airplanes
#14 Dream Chaser
This is an artists rendering of the Dream Chaser, a vertical takeoff space-plane that may replace our retired shuttle fleet. While it is only in the first stage of testing, NASA is hoping to build a small fleet of them.
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15:
Flying Car
Flying Cars may no longer be a pipe dream. The Terrafugia Transition has completed its first test flights and should be on sale by next year, over 100 people have already put down a deposit on one.
14:
Dream Chaser
This is an artists rendering of the Dream Chaser, a vertical takeoff space-plane that may replace our retired shuttle fleet. While it is only in the first stage of testing, NASA is hoping to build a small fleet of them.
13:
SpaceShipOne
This is the aircraft that achieved the first private manned flight into space, winning its designers the Ansari X Prize for space aviation. It is now retired while newer models are being tested.
12:
The Icon
This two seated amphibious plane almost looks like another flying car design with its folding wings. It is a flying boat meant to be compact enough for ground transport on a trailer.
11:
Lange Antares 20E
This aircraft is a self-launching glider with an electric motor. It seats 1 person and has a wingspan of 65 feet. The propeller retracts down behind the cockpit when not in use.
10:
Electric Cri-Cri
The Colomban Cri-Cri is based on a french design from the 1970s and is the smallest twin engine airplane in the world. This experimental electric powered variant can only fly for 30 minutes on battery power.
9:
Velcity 173 Elite RG
Another home built and customized aircraft, this fixed wing single engine aircraft stands out with its custom paint job.
8:
Beriev Be-2500 Neptun
A super heavyweight cargo jet proposed by a Russian aviation company, this amphibious plane would be the largest airplane ever build and able to take off with 1,000 tons of cargo.
7:
Customized Berkut 360 Pusher Prop
This is a home built aircraft build by a former race car driver. The single push propeller is in the back of the plane, and the top speed is not any higher than 250 miles per hour.
6:
X-48B Boeing
The plane shown here is only a foot tall, but this is a test prototype for another Boeing environmentally responsible passenger aircraft.
5:
E-2 Hawkeye
These planes carry a powerful radar system and have been in active service since 1964. Besides cargo planes, they are the only propeller plane that still take off from US Navy aircraft carriers.
4:
Concept Subsonic Green Plane
This is a model of a plane based on research conducted by Boeing, GE, and Georgia Tech to meet NASA goals for an ultra efficient hybrid electric aircraft. As the price of fuel goes up, you may see more designs like this.
3:
XF-85 Goblin concept
This tiny WWII era plane was an experiment in a fighter that could be deployed from the bomb bay of a bomber. The idea was scrapped because they were too small to stand up to the fighters they were meant to face.
2:
HondaJet
This business jet is another modern very light aircraft designed to lower the cost for chartered business travel. It is the first passenger aircraft produced by Honda and will be leaving the factory in 2012.
1:
Boeing Phantom Ray
This flying stealth drone is not technically a plane, but is based on Boeing's earlier designs for manned stealth aircraft. First launched in 2011, it has a 50-foot wingspan and can cruise at 614 miles per hour.
