# US 2019/0168858 A1 · Airplane with configuration changing in flight

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- Number: US 2019/0168858 A1
- Document ID: US20190168858A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/209,353
- Filed: 2018-12-04
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-06
- Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH
- Applicants: Airbus Operations SAS
- Inventors: Mathias FAROUZ-FOUQUET
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168858A1

## CPC

- B64C 5/12: for retraction against or within fuselage or nacelle
- B64C 3/48: by relatively-movable parts of wing structures
- B64C 39/008: {about a longitudinal axis}
- B64D 27/02: Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT

## Abstract

An airplane comprising a fuselage, two wings, a rear tail unit comprising a horizontal tail provided with two tail ends, and at least two engines arranged on the fuselage on either side of a vertical plane of symmetry of the airplane, the airplane having a longitudinal axis, the engines being mounted so as to be able to be displaced, at least in flight, on the fuselage, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the tail ends being mounted so as to be able to be pivoted, at least in flight, relative to the horizontal tail, the airplane thus having a configuration that changes in flight.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An airplane comprising:
a fuselage having a longitudinal axis,
two wings,
a rear tail unit comprising a horizontal tail provided with two tail ends, and
at least two engines arranged on the fuselage on either side of a vertical plane of symmetry of the airplane,
said engines being displaceably mounted, at least in flight, on said fuselage, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and
said tail ends being pivotably mounted, at least in flight, relative to said horizontal tail.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The airplane according to claim 1, said airplane further having a center of gravity and a center of lift, and comprising at least one controllable displacement mechanism configured to be able to bring each of said engines, at least in flight, alternately into one or another of two stable positions on the fuselage:
a forward position, in which the center of gravity of the airplane is situated towards the front of the airplane relative to the center of lift; and
an aft position, positioned towards the rear of the airplane relative to said forward position and in which the center of gravity of the airplane is situated towards the rear of the airplane relative to the center of lift.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The airplane according to claim 1, further comprising at least one controllable pivoting mechanism configured to be able to bring each of the two tail ends, at least in flight, alternately into one or another of two stable positions:
a first, folded position, in which the two tail ends are arranged substantially orthogonally to a general plane of said horizontal tail so as to form a vertical tail; and
a second, deployed position, in which the two tail ends are arranged substantially in the general plane of said horizontal tail so as to form, with the horizontal tail, an augmented horizontal tail surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The airplane according to claim 2, wherein the displacement mechanism comprises a sliding system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The airplane according to claim 2, wherein the displacement mechanism comprises an articulation system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The airplane according to claim 1, further comprising mobile control surfaces configured to act on a yaw of the airplane.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The airplane according to claim 1, wherein the engines are jet engines or turboprop engines.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The airplane according to claim 1, wherein said engines are propfan or open rotor engines.

### Claim 9

A method for modifying a configuration of an airplane in flight, said airplane comprising a fuselage, two wings, a rear tail unit comprising a horizontal tail provided with two tail ends, and at least two engines arranged on the fuselage on either side of a vertical plane of symmetry of the airplane, said engines being displaceably mounted on said fuselage, substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the airplane, and said tail ends being pivotably mounted relative to said horizontal tail,
the method comprising:
a first step comprising bringing said engines into a forward position and in bringing said tail ends into a folded position in which said tail ends are arranged substantially orthogonally to a general plane of said horizontal tail; and
a second step comprising bringing said engines into an aft position, displaced towards the rear of the airplane relative to said forward position and in bringing said tail ends into a deployed position in which said tail ends are arranged substantially in the general plane of said horizontal tail,
said first and second steps being implemented alternately at least during a flight of the airplane.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said first step is implemented, at least, during at least one of a take-off phase of the airplane or during a landing phase of the airplane, and wherein said second step is implemented, at least, during a cruising flight phase of the airplane.