In-flight aircraft refueling by jettisoning and onboarding replaceable fuel tanks
AssigneeTextron Systems Corporation
InventorBrandon Reid Hall
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating an aircraft includes, prior to an in-flight refueling operation, operating the aircraft using fuel from a first fuel tank connected to a fuel delivery system. Subsequently, the in-flight refueling operation is performed over a refueling area while operating the aircraft from another fuel tank, including (1) disconnecting the first fuel tank from the fuel delivery system, (2) jettisoning the first fuel tank, and (3) taking on a replacement fuel tank by (a) capturing the replacement fuel tank from the refueling area and (b) bringing the captured replacement fuel tank onboard the aircraft. The replacement fuel tank is then connected to the fuel delivery system and the aircraft is operated using fuel from the replacement fuel tank.
Claims20
A method of operating an aircraft, comprising:
- prior to an in-flight refueling operation, operating the aircraft using fuel from a first fuel tank connected to a fuel delivery system;
- performing the in-flight refueling operation over a refueling area while operating the aircraft from another fuel tank, including (1) disconnecting the first fuel tank from the fuel delivery system, (2) jettisoning the first fuel tank from the aircraft, and (3) taking on a replacement fuel tank by (a) capturing the replacement fuel tank from the refueling area and (b) bringing the captured replacement fuel tank onboard the aircraft;
- and
- subsequently connecting the replacement fuel tank to the fuel delivery system and operating the aircraft using fuel from the replacement fuel tank.
An aircraft, comprising:
- a fuel delivery system having a modular connector for connecting to replaceable fuel tanks, and a selector for selectively accepting fuel from a replaceable fuel tank and from another fuel tank;
- respective automated subsystems used for an automated in-flight refueling operation, including (1) a connect/disconnect subsystem for disconnecting a first replaceable fuel tank from the fuel delivery system and for connecting a second replaceable fuel tank to the fuel delivery system, (2) a tank handling subsystem for jettisoning the first replaceable fuel tank and for automatically positioning the second replaceable fuel tank for connection to the fuel delivery system and operational use, and (3) a retrieval subsystem for taking on the second replaceable fuel tank as a replacement fuel tank by (a) capturing the second replaceable fuel tank from a refueling area and (b) bringing the captured second replaceable fuel tank onboard the aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.