Definition
A category of aircraft capable of vertical takeoff, vertical landing, and low-speed flight that depends principally on engine-driven lift devices or engine thrust for lift during these flight regimes, and on non-rotating airfoils for lift during horizontal flight.
Plain English
An aircraft that uses its engines to hold itself up when taking off, landing, or flying slowly, but switches to using fixed wings like an airplane when flying fast.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft category, certification, and training discussions when comparing airplanes, helicopters, and aircraft that can operate vertically but also fly forward on wings.
Derivation
The term combines 'powered' (driven by an engine) with 'lift' (the upward force that supports the aircraft). It signals that engines, not wings alone, are producing the lift during part of the flight.
Why Pilots Care
Determines applicable certification standards, handling requirements, and operating limitations for aircraft that combine vertical and forward-flight capabilities.
Intuition Check
Powered lift does not mean any aircraft with an engine that produces lift. It means a specific kind of aircraft that uses power for vertical or very slow flight and wing-like surfaces for normal forward flight.
Example Sentence 1
The tiltrotor is certified in the powered-lift category because it lifts off vertically using its engines and then flies on its wings once it transitions to forward flight.
Example Sentence 2
Powered lift certification requires demonstrated hover stability and safe conversion to wing-borne flight.