Split-tiltwing aircraft and related methods

An aircraft comprising:

• an airframe comprising a wing assembly that includes a forward wing segment and a rear wing segment, wherein the forward wing segment is positioned within the airframe forward of at least a portion of the rear wing segment, and wherein the wing assembly is configured to be selectively transitioned among:
• (i) a forward thrust configuration in which the forward wing segment and the rear wing segment define a continuous airfoil shape;
• and
• (ii) a plurality of pitched thrust configurations in which the forward wing segment and at least the portion of the rear wing segment are spaced apart and the forward wing segment and the rear wing segment define discrete airfoil shapes;
• wherein the forward wing segment is pivotally coupled within the airframe and configured to be selectively tilted among a plurality of forward wing segment tilt positions, wherein the plurality of forward wing segment tilt positions comprises a forward wing segment forward thrust position and a plurality of forward wing segment pitched positions, wherein the forward wing segment forward thrust position corresponds to the forward thrust configuration of the wing assembly and the plurality of forward wing segment pitched positions corresponds to the plurality of pitched thrust configurations of the wing assembly;
• wherein the rear wing segment is pivotally coupled within the airframe and configured to be selectively tilted among a plurality of rear wing segment tilt positions, wherein the plurality of rear wing segment tilt positions comprises a rear wing segment forward thrust position and a plurality of rear wing segment pitched positions, wherein the rear wing segment forward thrust position corresponds to the forward thrust configuration of the wing assembly and the plurality of rear wing segment pitched positions corresponds to the plurality of pitched thrust configurations of the wing assembly;
• and
• a plurality of propulsion units operatively coupled to the forward wing segment that are configured to supply thrust to the aircraft when the wing assembly is in the forward thrust configuration and when the wing assembly is among the plurality of pitched thrust configurations, wherein the plurality of propulsion units are configured to be tilted with the forward wing segment among the plurality of forward wing segment tilt positions, and wherein the plurality of propulsion units are configured to supply thrust to the aircraft along a plurality of thrust vectors that correspond to the plurality of forward wing segment tilt positions.

A method of operating an aircraft that comprises a wing assembly having a forward wing segment and a rear wing segment, the method comprising:

• controlling elevation of the aircraft by controlling vectored thrust induced in the aircraft by one or more propulsion units;
• and
• transitioning the aircraft to a cruise configuration by:
• (i) selectively tilting the forward wing segment from a forward wing segment pitched position to a forward wing segment forward thrust position in which the forward wing segment and the rear wing segment define a continuous airfoil shape;
• and
• (ii) supplying thrust to the aircraft with the one or more propulsion units in a forward thrust vector that corresponds to the forward wing segment forward thrust position.