Aeroplane With Configuration Changing In Flight
AssigneeAirbus SAS
InventorsNicolaas Peter Esteie, Diego Alonso Tabares
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The aeroplane includes at least a fuselage, two wings, a rear tail unit including 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 aeroplane. The aeroplane has a longitudinal axis. The engines are 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 are mounted so as to be able to be pivoted, at least in flight, relative to the horizontal tail. The aeroplane thus has a configuration that changes in flight.
Claims10
An aeroplane comprising:
- at least 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 aeroplane, said aeroplane having a longitudinal axis,
- wherein said engines are mounted so as to be able to be displaced, at least in flight, on said fuselage, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and
- wherein said tail ends are mounted so as to be able to be pivoted, at least in flight, relative to said horizontal tail.
A method for modifying a configuration of an aeroplane in flight, said aeroplane comprising at least 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 aeroplane, said engines being mounted so as to be able to be displaced on said fuselage, substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aeroplane, and said tail ends being mounted so as to be able to be pivoted relative to said horizontal tail,
- the method comprising:
- at least a first step including 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
- at least a second step including bringing said engines into a aft position, displaced towards the rear of the aeroplane 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 aeroplane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.