System for converting jet aircraft to parabolic flight operation

An aircraft that can be quickly converted between a cargo mission and a parabolic flight mission, the aircraft including a cabin and a cockpit and further comprising:

• a hydraulic system including a hydraulic fluid reservoir, two closed volume fluid accumulators each having variable volume gas and fluid chambers isolated from each other by a movable member, a fluid supply line which couples a return line of a master aircraft hydraulic system to the fluid chamber of each of the closed volume fluid accumulators, and two fluid valves each configurable to operate in a first position which permits hydraulic fluid to flow normally in the system and a second position which diverts hydraulic fluid into the two closed volume fluid accumulators during the parabolic flight mission, wherein each of the two fluid valves provides a positive position indication in the cockpit, and wherein each of the two fluid valves is powered by a separate aircraft electrical circuit to provide redundancy;
• a removable seating area configured with passenger seats and securably mounted in the cabin;
• a play area in the cabin configured with removable padding having cushioning characteristics to cushion passengers floating in the play area during parabolic flights, wherein the removable padding is adapted for quick installation for parabolic flight missions and quick removal for cargo flight missions;
• a gill liner lining the cabin interior comprising a non-flammable material capable of self-extinguishing itself while suppressing the production of toxic gases;
• a plurality of support anchors permanently mounted to a wall of the cabin in the play area which permit passengers to secure themselves during flight;
• an accelerometer display system, mounted in the cockpit of the aircraft, which calculates and displays flight correction information based on ideal parabolic flight data;
• emergency exit track lighting installed along a wall of the play area of the cabin in such a manner that it does not interfere with cargo operation;
• a plurality of overhead informational lights recessed into a ceiling of the cabin and which do not interfere with a cargo operation of the aircraft;
• and
• a modified emergency oxygen system including oxygen delivery units mounted into a ceiling of the aircraft between frame ribs of the aircraft and including elongated mask support straps which reach from the ceiling of the aircraft to passengers seated in the passenger seats.

An aircraft modified to operate in either a cargo configuration using conventional flight patterns or a parabolic flight configuration which creates zero gravity conditions in the aircraft, the aircraft comprising:

• a modified hydraulic system including a plurality of hydraulic valves which, when activated, divert hydraulic fluid from a master fluid reservoir to a redundant hydraulic fluid accumulator system which prevents cavitation of hydraulic fluid during zero gravity conditions, wherein the plurality of hydraulic valves are configured such that failure of one valve causes the modified hydraulic system to continue operating normally;
• a floor padding structure defining a play area of sufficient size to permit passengers to freely float about a cabin of the aircraft and cushion impacts on the floor, wherein the floor padding structure is easily removable from the aircraft to support the cargo configuration and easily installable in the aircraft to support the parabolic flight configuration;
• a seating area including a plurality of passenger seats in a cabin of the aircraft;
• a modified emergency oxygen system permanently installed into a ceiling of the aircraft cabin without substantially obstructing the cargo area and including elongated mask support cords which drop down to permit use of oxygen masks by seated passengers;
• and
• a modified emergency lighting system including a plurality of track lights installed along the walls of the aircraft cabin which lead to exits.

A method of rapidly converting an aircraft from a cargo configuration into a passenger configuration capable of flying parabolic flights with gravity-free conditions, comprising the steps of:

• (1) temporarily installing removable padding to the floor of the aircraft, wherein the padding is sufficiently pliable to cushion passengers during parabolic flights;
• (2) temporarily installing removable seats in the aircraft in an area separate from the padded area installed in step (1);
• (3) temporarily installing hand grips along a plurality of anchors permanently fixed to support structures in the aircraft;
• and
• (4) switching a master hydraulic system of the aircraft to a dual-accumulator bypass system which prevents cavitation of hydraulic fluid during gravity-free maneuvers while providing fail-safe operation.