DESPITE many innovative suggestions over the years designed to fill the gap between conventional fixed wing aircraft and helicopters and with the exception of the Harrier for specific military use, the tilt‐rotor is the only one to reach the development stage. Major efforts have been made in the US by way of the XV‐3 and XV‐15 to demonstrate the practicality of such designs and the V22 Osprey is now engaged in flight trials. It is considered that European companies have the expertise in advanced technology necessary for such developments and the Eurofar programme has been launched to exploit this knowledge to the fullest extent.