A high speed monorail runs from the mansion to the hanger and the Blackbird exits the area from the far side of the Mansion's grounds. The aircraft's stealth ability cut takeoff and touch-down noise to a minimum. Though a runway exists for the Blackbird, it has the ability for Vertical Take-Off and Landing (V.T.O.L).

The Hangar facilities themselves are capable of repairing anything that flies, using a combination of advance human and Shi'ar technologies. In addition to hovercraft, private propeller and jet-plane, the hangar was the base of the Lockheed "Blackbird".

The "Blackbird" is a lockheed RS-150, designed for the US Government to continue the program started by the successful (and recently retired) SR-71. The RS-150 was never produced for the military, but its design and tooling were acquired by the SHIELD so they could produce a limited number of the Craft. All of these have been retired or been destroyed, with the exception of the X-Men's Blackbird.

For more information on the Blackbird see the Technology page.

The craft is intended to be a transonic transportation device that can carry all current members of the X-Men plus several passengers. The Blackbird is equipped to fly long-duration, high-altitude reconnaissance missions and shorter trips, as well as to any climate. A mission specific add-on pod can be equipped for several pre-planned or exotic mission scenarios. It is also outfitted for battle with several offensive systems stations which control the built-in laser guns.

Data: Blackbird
Power Plant: 2 Shi'ar vari-function hot-inlet compressor fuel are combustion engines(ram jets)
Wing Span: 62 feet 6 inches
Length, overall, incl. nose probe: 88 Feet 4 inches
Height: 19 feet 2 inches
Cabin: Max. width 9 feet 5 inches, Max. height 7 feet 1 inch
Normal tale-off weight: 145,000 lbs.
Max. Level speed at Sea Level: Mach 2.3 (1,770 mph)
Max. Level speed at 120,000 Feet: Mach 4.2 (3,234 mph)
Max. rate of climb at SL to 80,000 feet: 29.5 MPS
Service ceiling: 230,000 feet
Range with max. fuel, 5% fuel reserve, 5,500 lbs payload: 8,200 miles
Range with max fuel, 5% fuel reserve: 12,600 miles
Accommodation: Flight crew of 3, 4 passenger, negative direction, high velocity escape capsule, sleep 4 vertical take-off and landing from fixed engines:uses fuel trim tanks for stability: full 3 month survival gear.

Operational equipment: Shi'ar cloaking device, all-band communications, deep-space ready cabin, intelligence gathering equipment of Shi'ar and human design.

The X-Men's primary aircraft, known as the Blackbird, is a projected design by Carence "Kelly" Johnson, former head of the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation Projects Group (the "Skunk Works") prior to his retirement. The Skunk Works were responsible for the design and fabrication of the still- unequaled 1960's and 70's record-holding high performance strategic/reconnaissance craft the SR-71 , and its offensive version, the YF-12A. These craft are two seaters and the X-Men Blackbird (projected designation: RS-150) accommodates a flight crew of 3 and 4 passengers (that is: protected by escape gear; more loose passengersare possible). The RS-150 was never realized as part of the United States reconnaissance program, but in the early 70s SHIELD (Supreme Headquaters International Espionage and Law-Enforcement Devision) acquired the design and exotic tooling experience of this craft from Lockheed and produced an unspecified number of these highly classified aircraft. Only one survives today, the X-Men Blackbird. The rest apparently have been destroyed under unknown circumstances. The current Blackbird had been completely re-built using ultra-advanced Shi'Ar technology. Problems encountered at Mach 4 plus flight speeds, such as high temperatures, mechanical operations and stability, and routine equipment functioning have now been eliminated.