As observed by the aviation author Francis K. Mason, a combat aircraft that possessed such qualities would have effectively eliminate the traditional reliance on relatively vulnerable runways by taking off and landing vertically as opposed to the conventional horizontal approach.

[1] Accordingly, the development of viable vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft was particularly attractive to military planners of the early postwar era.

[3] One company that opted to engage in VTOL research was the French engine manufacturer SNECMA who, beginning in 1956, built a series of wingless test rigs called the Atar Volant.

The third had a tilting seat to allow the pilot to sit upright when the fuselage was level and had the lateral air intakes planned for the free flying aircraft, though it always operated attached to a movable cradle.

The eye-catching design of the Coléoptère rapidly made waves in the public consciousness, even internationally; author Jeremy Davis observed that the aircraft had even influenced international efforts, having allegedly motivated the United States Navy to contract American helicopter manufacturer Kaman Aircraft to design its own annular-wing vehicle, nicknamed the Flying Barrel.

Morel was unable to regain control amid a series of wild oscillations, opting to activate the ejection seat to escape the descending aircraft at only 150 m (492 ft).

[3] The Coléoptère featured a central core akin to the Atar Volant, but differed in that the fuselage was surrounded by an annular wing greatly resembling the proposals made by von Zborowski.

[3] Aerodynamic control and stability was regulated by a series of four triangular winglets, which were installed upon the outwards side of the annual wing; however, these were only effective during conventional horizontal flight.