Coaxial rotor aircraft

An aircraft, comprising:

• a fuselage having a centerline extending in a forward/aft direction;
• a single engine powerplant connected to the fuselage;
• a mast projecting above the fuselage, adjacent a longitudinal center of gravity of the aircraft, and carrying coaxial, counter-rotating rotors driven by the powerplant;
• left and right ducted fans each having a plurality of blades, and connected to the fuselage at a rear thereof and driven by the powerplant, wherein the left and right ducted fans are spaced away from the aircraft centerline and provide thrust in a direction approximately parallel to the centerline;
• and
• a stick control operatively coupled with a flight control computer such that movement of the stick control is translated by the flight control computer into mechanical operational control of at least the left and right ducted fans;
• the powerplant positioned closely adjacent the longitudinal center of gravity of the aircraft, between the mast and the left and right ducted fans;
• the powerplant including a main shaft that extends in a first direction and is operatively coupled with a main transmission associated with the mast;
• the powerplant further including an auxiliary shaft that extends in a second direction, away from the first direction, and is operatively coupled with an auxiliary transmission associated with the left and right ducted fans;
• wherein the left and right ducted fans are independently controllable to generate thrust, whereby a yaw moment is generated when the control stick is rotated, causing the flight control computer to initiate differential thrust by the left and right ducted fans.