The History of the International Powered Lift Conference Across Five Decades of V/STOL Progress

This year, SAE International hosts the 2026 edition of the International Powered Lift Conference (IPLC), which focuses on the latest developments in vertical and/or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft research, concepts and programs. IPLC is a joint technical meeting, held approximately biennially, co-sponsored by the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA), the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), SAE International and the Vertical Flight Society (VFS). Because each technical society hosts IPLC only once a decade, staff turnover at the societies creates a lack of knowledge and historical context of the event. This paper provides a formal record of the history and legacy of the IPLC, and its progress in highlighting the technical and programmatic progress of V/STOL over the ages.