초록 ▼

A lightweight, man carrying aircraft including a skeletal fuselage assembly in combination with a primary arc-shaped lifting airfoil having variable camber, incidence angle, and pitching moment and a secondary stabilizing airfoil of a tubular, ring-like configuration. The arc-shaped primary airfoil

A lightweight, man carrying aircraft including a skeletal fuselage assembly in combination with a primary arc-shaped lifting airfoil having variable camber, incidence angle, and pitching moment and a secondary stabilizing airfoil of a tubular, ring-like configuration. The arc-shaped primary airfoil is superior to traditional low speed airfoil forms due to its high aerodynamic efficiency, inherent design simplicity and strength. The ring-tail assembly, offering marginal aerodynamic lift, contributes significantly to the in-flight stability and safety of the aircraft. Both airfoil members are independently controllable and constructed of a fabric or like skin material which is fitted over a wing assembly and tensioned into an operable airfoil form by the aerodynamic forces of the air during flight. Typically, the wing assemblies are supported and maintained by a lightweight, tubular fuselage structure to which is affixed the propulsion system, control mechanisms and ground support assemblies.

대표청구항 ▼

An aircraft comprising fuselage means forming the support structure of an aircraft, airfoil means carried by said fuselage means and adapted to provide aerodynamic lift during flight of the aircraft, said airfoil means forming a continuous wing surface of an arcuate configuration during flight, said

An aircraft comprising fuselage means forming the support structure of an aircraft, airfoil means carried by said fuselage means and adapted to provide aerodynamic lift during flight of the aircraft, said airfoil means forming a continuous wing surface of an arcuate configuration during flight, said continuous wing surface being formed of a flexible, fabric-like, material assuming said configuration during flight, said airfoil means extending upwardly from said fuselage means and having respective ends coupled thereto, said wing surface forming an increasing chord length from said ends to the upper portion of said airfoil means, said fuselage means includes a plurality of elongated fuselage members coupled to a rigid member to form a support structure having a skeletal frame construction, a airfoil means including a rigid leading edge member to which said material is pivotally attached, and said airfoil means further including a tensioned flexible trailing edge assuming the trailing edge configuration of said wing surface during flight, said airfoil means further including a plurality of airfoil form retaining means for supporting and defining said chord length of said airfoil means, said airfoil form retaining means having means to selectively adjust said chord length at predetermined positions along the arcuate configuration of said airfoil means.