Abstract: A method of generating lift for a vehicle including heating a flow of gas using a gas generator mounted on the vehicle that contributes no more than about ten percent of thrust used to propel the vehicle in a forward direction, and driving a lift fan using the heated gas flow to generate lift for the vehicle.

Abstract: Aircraft having thrust vectoring for switchably providing upper surface blowing. The aircraft generally includes a wing and an engine. The engine can be rotatably supported to supporting structure to allow the engine to be controllably rotated relative to the wing, and/or the engine can include a thrust vectoring nozzle. The engine's thrust vectoring capabilities allow the exhaust flow to be controllably vectored to switch on or off upper surface blowing depending on the aircraft's phase of operation. During a first phase, the exhaust flow can be vectored to flow across the upper wing surface to provide upper surface blowing to augment lift. During a second phase, the exhaust flow can be discharged generally downstream or rearwardly. The engine is positioned relative to the wing such that the exhaust flow does not provide upper surface blowing during the second phase.