A lift-fan airplane carrying a cargo;
- said airplane having a fuselage, pylons and two wings;
- said pylons each containing a said lift fan;
- said cargo being a landing pad;
- said airplane landing vertically and bringing said landing pad for use by vertically-landing subsequent aircraft;
- said fuselage having a large lengthwise cavity open at least downward;
- prior to flight, said landing pad having been rolled up to a compact state;
- said compact state occupying most or all of said large lengthwise cavity;
- said compact state lasting throughout time of flight;
- after said airplane has landed, said compact state will be unrolled to a deployed state;
- before takeoff, said compact state comprising two “roll-packs” and a base plate;
- said roll-packs located side-by-side and supported at the bottom by said base plate;
- first said roll-pack comprising many slats of substantially the same thickness;
- each said slat being much longer than it is wide, thereby having two long edges;
- most said slats having half of a hinge at each said long edge;
- for most said slats, each said half of a hinge mating with another said half of a hinge to make a hinge between two adjacent said slats;
- said hinges cooperating to make a bendable chain of said many slats;
- said bendable chain having two end slats;
- one said end slat being hinged to said base plate;
- the other said end slat, or else some other nearby said slat, being designated the “central slat”;
- said central slat including two stub shafts sticking out its ends;
- before flight of said airplane, said bendable chain having been subjected to a winding up, thereby forming a spiral roll around said central slat;
- the cross section of said spiral roll depending on slat widths;
- said slat widths established by a rule;
- said rule being that a first said slat is wider, by an increment of substantially two said slat thicknesses, than the width of the next interior slat which will lie flat adjacent said first slat after said winding up;
- said rule implementing the fact that said slats had to get generally wider to enclose the more interior said slats as said winding up progressed;
- said rule furthermore letting said many slats wind up with close clearances against each other, with little empty space, thereby creating said first roll-pack;
- said rule not applying to the two narrowest said slats, nor to said central slat if it is a said end slat;
- said first roll-pack having a cross section which is substantially a rectangle;
- said rectangle being stood on one end when said first roll-pack is on said base plate;
- the other main half of said compact state being a second said roll-pack;
- said second roll-pack being a second spiral roll made up of more slats generally similar to those in said first roll-pack;
- said second spiral roll also assembled to a substantially rectangular cross section also stood on one end when put on said base plate;
- said roll-packs placed on said base plate with the spirals of said spiral rolls oriented in opposite directions;
- a gap between said roll-packs;
- hoists passing through said gap;
- the bottom of each said hoist connected to said base plate;
- an upper part of each said hoist connecting to substantially the ceiling of said large lengthwise cavity;
- said hoists capable of lowering said base plate;
- said hoists and said base plate being in an upper position for takeoff, putting most or all of the volume of said compact state within said large lengthwise cavity;
- after landing, said hoists extending downward, placing said base plate on the ground;
- said deployed state beginning as said first roll-pack undergoes processing by a first set of operations listed as five steps:
- (1) two wheels of diameter about twice the height of said stub shafts above the ground;
- said wheels placed at opposite ends of said first roll-pack;
- (2) said wheels each having a bore in the center;
- said wheels stood upright adjacent to said stub shafts;
- said wheels moved inward so that said stub shafts are journaled in said bores;
- (3) rotation applied to said wheels to start them rolling on the ground;
- said rolling continuing and taking said first roll-pack away from said base plate;
- said first roll-pack unwinding;
- said unwinding laying most of said many slats one after the other on the ground;
- (4) said unwinding proceeding until said central slat is approached or reached;
- said unwinding stopping;
- (5) said wheels disconnecting from said first roll-pack;
- said central slat then being lowered toward the ground, substantially ending said processing of said first roll-pack;
- said second roll-pack undergoing processing by a second set of operations;
- said second set being substantially a mirror image of said first set, in that alternate unwinding proceeds in a direction opposite to that of said unwinding and on the other side of said base plate;
- said second roll-pack having its own central slat;
- said own central slat eventually undergoing lowering toward the ground;
- said lowering substantially ending said operations for said second roll-pack;
- said hoists disconnecting from said base plate;
- said airplane taxiing off said base plate and said slats, leaving said landing pad in said deployed state.