Aircraft having rotor assemblies rotating in parallel planes

An aircraft configured for thrust-borne lift in a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and wing-borne lift in a forward flight mode, the aircraft comprising:

• an airframe including at least one straight wing;
• a pod assembly rotatably coupled to the airframe;
• a distributed propulsion system attached to the airframe including a first plurality of propulsion assemblies each including a nacelle and a second plurality of propulsion assemblies each including a nacelle, each of the propulsion assemblies including a rotor assembly having a plurality of rotor blades, at least one of the propulsion assemblies coupled to the straight wing, the nacelles of the first plurality of propulsion assemblies longer than the nacelles of the second plurality of propulsion assemblies;
• and
• a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system and operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies;
• wherein, in the vertical takeoff and landing flight mode, each of the propulsion assemblies is configured to generate vertical thrust with the rotor assemblies of the first plurality of propulsion assemblies rotating in a first horizontal plane and the rotor assemblies of the second plurality of propulsion assemblies rotating in a second horizontal plane parallel to the first horizontal plane;
• wherein, in the forward flight mode, each of the propulsion assemblies is configured to generate forward thrust with the rotor assemblies of the first plurality of propulsion assemblies rotating in a first vertical plane and the rotor assemblies of the second plurality of propulsion assemblies rotating in a second vertical plane parallel to the first vertical plane;
• and
• wherein, the airframe is rotatable relative to the pod assembly such that in both the vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and the forward flight mode, the pod assembly remains in a generally horizontal attitude.

An aircraft comprising:

• an airframe including at least one wing;
• a pod assembly coupled to the airframe;
• a distributed propulsion system attached to the airframe including a first plurality of propulsion assemblies each including a nacelle and a second plurality of propulsion assemblies each including a nacelle, each of the propulsion assemblies including a rotor assembly having a plurality of rotor blades, the nacelles of the first plurality of propulsion assemblies longer than the nacelles of the second plurality of propulsion assemblies;
• and
• a flight control system operably associated with the distributed propulsion system and operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies;
• wherein, the first plurality of propulsion assemblies includes at least four propulsion assemblies positioned at least partially outboard of the pod assembly, the first plurality of propulsion assemblies including a plurality of left propulsion assemblies interconnected by at least one left pylon substantially perpendicular to the wing and a plurality of right propulsion assemblies interconnected by at least one right pylon substantially perpendicular to the wing;
• wherein, the propulsion assemblies of the second plurality of propulsion assemblies are positioned at least partiallyoutboard of the propulsion assemblies of the first plurality of propulsion assemblies;
• wherein, in a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode, each of the propulsion assemblies is configured to generate vertical thrust with the rotor assemblies of the first plurality of propulsion assemblies rotating in a first horizontal plane and the rotor assemblies of the second plurality of propulsion assemblies rotating in a second horizontal plane parallel to the first horizontal plane;
• wherein, in a forward flight mode, each of the propulsion assemblies is configured to generate forward thrust with the rotor assemblies of the first plurality of propulsion assemblies rotating in a first vertical plane and the rotor assemblies of the second plurality of propulsion assemblies rotating in a second vertical plane parallel to the first vertical plane;
• and
• wherein, in both the vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and the forward flight mode, the pod assembly remains in a generally horizontal attitude.