History
The X-Shuttle was an open-air, high-altitude, high-velocity aircraft that has sporadically been seen used by the X-Men. It is equipped with a radar system, an audio-visual communications screen, and a series of rockets on the undercarriage for VTOL-style landing and take-off.
The X-Shuttle was psycho-kinetically summoned by Phoenix to pick the X-Men and Spider-Man up in Nevada following an adventure out there. While on their way back to New York, however, they flew over a section of New Mexico that had been quarantined by the military, and were attacked with missiles and a squad of armed hovercraft. They escaped unharmed, and Spider-Man separated from them to investigate while the X-Men continued on home in the X-Shuttle.[1]Notes
- Space worthy Blackbirds have often been referred to as "X-Shuttles", causing some confusion with this rarely seen vehicle.
- The X-Shuttle is similar in design to the Avengers' Aero-Car, and may have been the Aero-Car gifted to Angel by the Avengers after they overhauled their vehicles.[2] It was damaged, possibly even destroyed, soon after during an encounter with the Sentinels, but it could have been salvaged and reconstructed as the X-Shuttle.[3]