Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A vertical take-off and landing aircraft having a wing fitted, in the preferred embodiment, with two nacelles one port and one starboard, each nacelle having two tiltmotors in tandem, one forward and one aft of the wing. A conventional rudder and high set tailplane is fitted or, in another embodiment forward canards or in yet another embodiment the aircraft is a flying wing. Forward tiltmotors can be tilted up past the vertical and the aft pusher tiltmotors can be tilted down past the vertical so that the aircraft can maintain a steep descent with the propeller discs horizontal and a low angle of attack of the wing. Each engine is fitted with a two bladed variable pitch propeller that feathers to stop vertically, other embodiments have cyclic pitch propellers. The tiltmotors, have a sideways cant in the tilted positions to reduce engine side loads in translation. All the tiltmotors are equipped with emergency electric motors that can be used to shift the center of lift in hover and assist in gust control. A small wing is provided with very large flaps that are moved in synchronization with the tiltmotors to allow a clear downdraft and also act as a dive brake. A tricycle undercarriage has long nacelle legs to provide ground clearance for the aft propellers and is equipped with side-load sensors for weathercock control. An auto-pilot controls all phases of flight and has a manual back-up control system. Special programs control weathercock effects on landing and take-off, and operation of the emergency electric motors.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim