Air cushion landing system and method of operation
AssigneeAir Cushion Landing Systems Limited
InventorsRussell John London, Malcolm John COX
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aircraft air cushion landing system (2) includes a skirt (6) defining a plenum (22) on an underside of the aircraft, a plenum fan (26) arranged to induce an airflow into the plenum (22) and controller configured to control operation of the plenum fan (26). The controller includes a sensor (30) adapted to sense an imminent landing event and a fan control system (28) configured to automatically operate the plenum fan (26) to provide a first flow in a first direction out of the plenum (22) so that as the skirt (6) engages a landing surface air is being evacuated from the plenum (22). A method also operates such a system (2).
Claims19
Aircraft air cushion landing system including skirt means defining a plenum on an underside of the aircraft, a plenum fan arranged to induce an airflow into the plenum and control means configured to control operation of the plenum fan, wherein the control means includes sensing means adapted to sense an imminent landing event and a fan control system configured to operate the plenum fan to provide a first flow in a first direction out of the plenum so that prior to and during engagement of the skirt means with a landing surface during the landing event, air is being evacuated from the plenum.
A method of operating an aircraft air cushion landing system including a skirt means defining a plenum on an underside of the aircraft, a plenum fan arranged to induce an airflow to deliver air into the plenum and control means configured to control operation of the plenum fan, the method comprising the steps of:
- (i) sensing an imminent landing event;
- (ii) controlling operation of the plenum fan with a fan control system of the control means to provide a first airflow in a first direction out of the plenum and acting to evacuate the plenum prior to and during engagement of the skirt means with a landing surface during the landing event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.