초록 ▼

A vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) airplane is described having a vertical form factor. Making the airplane tall has many advantages when operating in hover mode close to the ground. Several variations of the design are described. The preferred embodiment consists of two tall fuselage

A vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) airplane is described having a vertical form factor. Making the airplane tall has many advantages when operating in hover mode close to the ground. Several variations of the design are described. The preferred embodiment consists of two tall fuselage structures having an airfoil shape in plan view. As high above the ground as practical a "lift wing" spans the space between these fuselages. This wing may be equipped with lift augmentation systems to facilitate V/STOL flight. In the center of the span on the leading edge of the lift wing is placed a turboprop engine. Alternatively, the wing and attached engine can be made to tilt about a horizontal axis. For takeoff the wing will be tilted skyward. A second wing slightly below and behind the lift wing has a pusher engine located on the trailing edge. This lower wing and engine is also able to tilt about a horizontal axis parallel to the lift wing. During takeoff this lower engine is pointed downward toward the ground. This lower wing contains aerodynamic control surfaces to provide attitude and position control. Subsequent to liftoff the wings and engines tilt into a horizontal position to provide cruise lift and thrust. At the end of the flight the wings and attached engines are tilted back to provide vertical lift for hover, maneuvering, and soft landing.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A tilt wing and short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft having a tall (vertical) fuselage of streamline shape in plan view with its chord pointing forward exhibiting variable area with height above the ground having a right side surface, a rounded leading edge surface, a left side s

I claim: 1. A tilt wing and short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft having a tall (vertical) fuselage of streamline shape in plan view with its chord pointing forward exhibiting variable area with height above the ground having a right side surface, a rounded leading edge surface, a left side surface and a sharp trailing edge containing at least two sets of aero-surfaces disposed vertically along the trailing edge, each set consisting of at least two elements, one on each side of the fuselage, freely rotatable about a line parallel to the fuselage trailing edge to be deployed during horizontal cruise flight to act as rudders when both sets move together in the same direction, said set acting as aero-brakes when elements of the sets are operated differentially, and said set acting as pitch control of the aircraft when the respective vertical sets are operated at different differential amounts, a single wing near the top of the tall fuselage, the span of said wing being equal distance on each side of and orthogonal to the chord of said fuselage, freely rotatable about an axis parallel to the ground and orthogonal to the chord of said fuselage to facilitate pointing the chord of said wing vertical for takeoff and landing operations and in a horizontal direction for horizontal flight having a lower surface, leading edge surface, upper surface and a sharp trailing edge with at least two sets of aero-surfaces one set on each side of the fuselage each set consisting of at least two elements one on the top surface of the wing and the other on the bottom surface of the wing both freely and independently rotatable about an axis essentially parallel to the wing span said sets being spaced equidistant outboard of the centerline on respective sides of the fuselage, in level cruise flight acting as conventional ailerons when said elements are moved together in opposite directions on each side of the fuselage, and said elements acting as lift augmentation devices when operated together in the same direction on both right and left of the fuselage and said elements acting as aero-brakes when said elements are operated differentially on respective sides of the fuselage, said wing having boom mounted aero-surfaces fixedly mounted to the center of the tilt wing and engine structure extending in the direction of the wing chord aft of the trailing edge having aero-surfaces acting as conventional elevator and rudder in horizontal cruise flight, a propulsion means consisting of an engine and tractor mounted variable pitch propeller extending forward of the leading edge of the tilting wing points up during takeoff and landing and horizontal during horizontal cruise flight. 2. A tilt wing vertical and short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft described in claim 1 with conventional elevator and rudder aero-surfaces in horizontal flight fixedly mounted to the tilt wing/engine structure aft of the trailing edge of the tilt wing on two booms one on each side of the single fuselage separated by at least a distance allowing clearance with the fuselage structure and allowing unimpeded performance of all aero-surfaces when it is positioned for V/STOL operation. 3. A tilt wing vertical and short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft described in claim 1 with two propulsion means with variable pitch feathering propellers mounted on the single tilt wing structure at equal lateral distances from the fuselage with a cross shaft drive provision for in-flight engine failure safety. 4. A tilt wing vertical and short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft described in claim 1 with an upper wing with two propulsion means optimized for takeoff, landing and hover performance one mounted on each side of the fuselage with cross shaft drive provision for in-flight engine failure safety, a second tilt wing mounted below the topmost wing the span of said second wing being parallel with the upper wing, said second wing having two pusher propulsion means optimized for high speed flight one on each side of the single fuselage with cross shaft drive provision for feathering propellers for in-flight engine failure safety, both wings freely rotatable about an axis parallel to the ground and orthogonal to the chord of the fuselage to facilitate pointing the leading edge of both wings vertical for takeoff and landing operations and in a horizontal direction for horizontal flight, each wing having a lower surface, leading edge surface, upper surface and a trailing edge with at least two sets of aero-surfaces each set consisting of at least two elements one on the upper wing surface and one on the bottom wing surface freely rotatable about an axis essentially parallel to the wing span said sets being spaced outboard of the centerline on respective sides of the fuselage in level cruise flight acting as conventional ailerons when said elements are moved together in opposite directions on each side of the fuselage, and said elements acting as lift augmentation devices when operated together in the same direction on both right and left of the fuselage and said elements acting as aero-brakes when said elements are operated differentially on both sides of the fuselage, said wings having booms with aero-surfaces fixedly mounted to the wings extending in the direction of the wing chord aft of the trailing edge acting as conventional elevators and rudders in horizontal cruise flight. 5. A tilt wing vertical and short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft configured as described in claim 4 above having large diameter propellers on the uppermost wing for efficient performance during takeoff, landing and hover operation when the upper wing is pointed vertically said propellers able to feather and fold during horizontal flight to reduce aerodynamic drag when the wing is horizontal, lower wing having variable pitch smaller diameter propellers optimized for efficient high speed horizontal flight. 6. A tilt wing vertical and short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft having two tall side-by-side fuselages carrying operators, passengers and cargo said fuselages separated laterally by the center segment of an upper tilting wing equipped with an engine and a large air screw capable of folding and feathering located midway between the fuselages and a lower tilting wing with a propulsion means located on the trailing edge of the lower wing midway between the fuselages optimized for high speed horizontal flight each of the two tall fuselages of streamline shape in plan view with its chord pointing forward exhibiting variable area with height above the ground having a right side surface, a rounded leading edge surface, a left side surface and a sharp trailing edge, said trailing edge of both fuselages contain at least two sets of aero-surfaces disposed vertically along the trailing edge, each set consisting of at least two elements, one on each side of the fuselage, freely rotatable about a line parallel to the fuselage trailing edge to be deployed during horizontal cruise flight to act as rudders when both sets move together in the same direction, and said elements acting as aero-brakes when elements of the sets are operated differentially, and said elements acting as pitch control of the aircraft when the respective vertical sets are operated at different differential amounts, the span of said upper wing being orthogonal to the chord of said fuselage, freely rotatable about an axis parallel to the ground and orthogonal to the chord of said two fuselages to facilitate pointing the chord of said wing vertical for takeoff and landing operations and in a horizontal direction for horizontal flight said wing having a lower surface, leading edge surface, upper surface and a sharp trailing edge with at least two sets of aero-surfaces each set consisting of at least two elements one on the top surface of the wing and the other on the bottom surface of the wing both freely rotatable about an axis essentially parallel to the wing span-line said sets being spaced outboard of the center point of the wing acting as conventional ailerons when said elements are moved together in opposite directions on each side of the center mounted propulsion means, and lift augmentation devices when operated together in the same direction on both right and left of the propulsion means and aero-brakes when said elements are operated differentially on both sides of the propulsion means, said upper wing will have boom mounted aero-surfaces fixedly mounted to the wing and engine structure extending in the direction of the wing chord aft of the trailing edge having aero-surfaces acting as conventional elevator and rudder in horizontal cruise flight, a propulsion means consisting of an engine and tractor mounted variable pitch feathering and foldable large propeller extending forward of the leading edge of the upper tiling wing points up during takeoff, landing and hover operations and forward during horizontal cruise flight, the lower tilt wing having aero-surfaces similar to the upper tilt wing described above and a mid-span mounted rearward pointing pusher propulsion means optimized for high speed flight, both upper and lower wings extend outboard of the fuselages to provide lift and attitude control being freely and independently rotatable about the same axis as the wings between the fuselages.