Rotational aircraft throttle interface

A rotational aircraft throttle interface for an aircraft having a longitudinal axis, a vertical axis and a variable thrust vector within a geometric plane defined by the longitudinal axis and the vertical axis, the interface comprising:

• a hand grip throttle assembly including a hand grip operable to command a plurality of throttle positions, the hand grip throttle assembly aligned with the geometric plane and pivotally positioned within the geometric plane to congruently and substantially match a direction of the variable thrust vector of the aircraft.

A throttle interface for an aircraft, the interface comprising:

• a throttle housing including a track and a sled slidably engaged in the track, the sled operable to travel within the track over a continuous range from a first position corresponding to and commanding a minimum power setting to a second position corresponding to and commanding a maximum power setting and wherein a first end associated with the first position is mounted to the aircraft and configured to pivot the throttle housing so that the track is congruently and substantially aligned with a direction of a thrust vector produced by the aircraft;
• and
• a hand grip rotatably connected to the sled and operable to move the sled along the track at any position of the throttle housing.

An aircraft control input apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

• a rotational throttle interface configured to vary its orientation and motion of travel within the aircraft based on and operable to be congruently and substantially aligned with a direction of a variable aircraft thrust vector produced by the aircraft, the variable aircraft thrust vector having a magnitude component and a direction component defining an operating envelope;
• and
• a hand grip coupled to the rotational throttle interface configured to provide continual user initiated throttle inputs to vary the magnitude component and the direction component of the variable aircraft thrust vector throughout the operating envelope.

A method for providing a user interface for an aircraft having a longitudinal axis, a vertical axis and a variable thrust vector within a geometric plane defined by the longitudinal axis and the vertical axis wherein the variable thrust vector includes a magnitude and a direction, the method comprising:

• matching congruently the direction of the variable thrust vector with an assembly axis of a hand grip throttle assembly throughout a first range of motion wherein the hand grip throttle assembly is pivotally positioned within an assembly plane that is parallel to the geometric plane;
• and
• controlling the magnitude of the variable thrust vector by positioning a hand grip along the assembly axis of the hand grip throttle assembly through a second range of motion by continual user contact with the hand grip throughout the first range of motion and the second range of motion.