1. An aircraft designed to take off and land vertically like a helicopter but fly forward like an airplane, combining features of both vehicle types.
Usage: Also called a convertiplane or tiltrotor aircraft.; Technical/aviation term.

Examples

• The convertaplane can hover in place and then transition to forward flight.
• Military forces have invested in convertaplane technology for rapid deployment.
• A convertaplane offers advantages over traditional helicopters in speed and range.
• The pilot adjusted the rotors to switch the convertaplane from vertical to horizontal flight.
• Convertaplanes are being developed for both civilian and military applications.