Just Aircraft has recently installed a Titan XO-340 180-hp engine in their Super STOL (Short Take-Off & Landing) aircraft. The take-off results are spectacular – watch the on-board video clip and you’ll se what I mean! Remember – this is not a view from a helicopter, although it might ‘just’ as well be! Not only is the take-off distance short but the aircraft keeps on climbing.

Just Aircraft is not the first company to use this engine in an aircraft – Cubcrafters also use the Titan in their LSA-compliant Carbon Cub. But the Cub is a bigger, slightly heavier aircraft and does not utilise the retractable leading edge slats of the Superstol, so the Carbon Cub take-off, while still sensational is not quite in the same league.

There is a comparative video of the Carbon Cub and Superstol, although in this one, the Superstol uses a Rotax 115-hp turbo engine, not the Titan. As you can see, the two aircraft are very similar in performance, even though the Superstol is giving away 65-hp. I imagine the 180-hp Superstol would be quite a ride!

A few other key differences between the Carbon Cub and Superstol: tandem vs side-by-side seating, factory-built vs kit-built and, of course, price. However, another price you pay for such spectacularly short take-offs and landings is a relatively slow cruise speed. There’s no such thing as a free lunch!