STOL

A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that can take off and land on runways that are much shorter than the typical ones needed for conventional take-off and landing. STOL-capable aircraft are usually light aircraft (mostly propeller-driven utility aircraft, sporters or motor gliders) with a high lift-to-drag ratio and typically also a high aspect ratio, allowing them to achieve minimum takeoff speed (i.e. liftoff speed or V_LOF) much more quickly and thus requiring a shorter accelerating run before taking off (takeoff roll); and perform landing at a lower minimum steady flight speed (V_S0) and thus also a shorter decelerating run (rollout).

Gyrocopters, despite being rotary-wing aircraft, need a forward motion to drive air flow past autorotating rotor blades to generate lift and thus still mandate runways (albeit a very short one) for takeoff and landing. They are therefore also considered STOL aircraft, as they cannot perform vertical takeoff and landing like helicopters.

STOL aircraft, including those used in scheduled passenger transport operations, can be operated from STOLport airfields that feature dedicated short runways. They can also operate on improvised airstrips with unpaved runways (e.g., dirt roads or bulldozed grassfield tracks) and/or harsher conditions, such as remote airfields built in high altitude alpine regions, deserts or on snow/ice fields.