US 7,731,125 B2 · Compact stowage of transport aircraft

Abstract

Substantial reduction in aircraft stowage space can be achieved by stacking aircraft using minimal or no folding of parts of the aircraft. This results in reduced complexity and reduced cost compared to other aircraft compact stowage schemes including for example fully folding an aircraft. Landing gear variable height, length, or orientation can be used to orient all or a portion of the aircraft for stowage. Alternately or in combination with such orientation by landing gear, other portions of the aircraft including tilting rotors and tilting nacelles can be oriented to achieve a geometric configuration conducive to compact stowage. In preferred embodiments, aircraft are moved relative to each other so that a portion of one aircraft is offset relative to a corresponding portion of the other. In especially preferred configurations, a portion of the first aircraft will overlap or lie on top of without touching a portion of the second aircraft.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of stacking first and second landed aircraft, comprising:

configuring the first and second aircraft to be landed on a substantially flat and level landing surface;
varying the length of a landing gear to orient the first aircraft;
and
moving at least one of the first and second aircraft such that a portion of the first aircraft is horizontally and vertically offset relative to a corresponding portion of the second aircraft to achieve increased aircraft density within a stowage area, when both aircrafts are on the substantially flat and level landing surface.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Compact stowage of transport aircraft

Life of this patent

Compact stowage of transport aircraft

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19